Young Justice: Vow
by Angelus-v1
Summary: Eighty years ago, it started on Mars. A deadly encounter between former friends that resulted in tragedy. What was once thought to be finished has only come back in the worst way. It will take something of a miracle for it to be stopped, if it can be stopped at all.
1. Prologue

**AN: Hello, everybody! I'm back with a new story taking place a few years after my Season 4. This won't be a season-like story with several chapters making an episode, it's more of a traditional story that I'm hoping to feel like a movie, kinda like what Kubo has done with his Bleach series movies. Thank you for coming back to read my works, now on with the story! Enjoy!**

 **Young Justice: Vow**

 **By: Angelus-V1**

 **Prologue**

Eighty Years Ago:

Landing hard on the red soil of Mars, a humanoid Martian woman let out a grunt as the purple fluid that was her blood seeped from open wounds. Dust flew into the air around her as small rocks embedded themselves into her body. Gripping her head, the green skinned female let out a shriek from an excruciating pain coursing through her mind. Withering, she cried out in pain and balled herself up into a fetal position as two other Martian's fought nearby.

"What did you do?!" Flying backwards, a Martian male known as J'onn J'onzz landed in front of the female as another green Martian landed and gave a dark laugh.

"It's something to keep you out of here." Pointing to his head, the other humanoid Martian grinned, showcasing his uncharacteristic sharp, jagged teeth.

"M'yri'ah." Using his telepathy, J'onn's eyes shimmered a bright red as he tried to enter his wife's mind but was immediately shut out. "M'yri-"

"No! Don't! J'onn!" Struggling to her knees, M'yri'ah tried to get away from her husband when her eyes began to take the coloring of flames.

"M'yri'ah-AGGGH!" Stiffening, J'onn froze with his body looking up. Looking down, the Martian saw a sharpened object skewering him through his left shoulder a moment before being flung to the side.

Holding his arm up, the other Martian morphed his hand from a sword-like weapon to a more human appendage. Unlike the other Martians of the planet, this one took on a mixture of both humanoid and Martian forms. Keeping his feet Martin-like, two long webbed toes gripped onto the red planet's surface with a third protruding from his heel. His shins took on the form armor, ending just above the knees with dual points on top. Blue pants with a red 'Y' shaped design covering the front led to a nude torso where his green skin took on a hardened form with pinkish areas over his abs and on his sides. Spines covered his forearms and ended at the wrists where his hands flexed two elongated fingers each, then there was his skull-like head with protruding crest on top. His blood red eyes added to his fierce look, as if the mouthful of sharpened teeth were not enough.

"Wha-what did you do to her?" Getting back up, J'onn, in a tattered blue uniform worn by the Manhunters of Mars, applied pressure to his wounded shoulder.

"I warned the Manhunters, I warned the elders, I warned the populace, and I have warned you to stay out of my way. Mars needs it's supreme lord and I will do everything in my power to give it to her." With his eyes brightening, the Martian fired a telekinetic force at J'onn and knocked him into a nearby Boulder. "And I will make an example of you."

"J, J'onn!"

"M'yri'ah!"

Abandoning the fight with the other Martian, a fight that had been going on for over an hour, J'onn crawled over to the female, his wife, and reached out to her. Her slender fingers came into contact with his and for the briefest of moments, both thought they were safe.

"Enough!" Delivering a hard kick, the Martian antagonist formed his fingers into a Multitude of sharpened spikes. "I am the most powerful mind by far. I have made puppets of the governing body and was poised to have them deliver Mars to me had it not have been for you. And as I have sworn, I will make you suffer for it."

With his eyes growing brighter, the Martian turned his gaze to J'onn's wife and viciously entered her mind, forcing a scream so loud, it blew her vocal cords out, as he telekinetically held J'onn to the ground.

"H'ronmeer, the God of death and darkness has revealed to me his secrets. Your daughter K'hym, was the first to suffer his curse, and now, your wife is feeling it."

Unable to move, J'onn stared at his wife as she flailed about. He had witnessed his daughter die before having to leave to save his wife and now it seemed to have been all for nothing. Having nothing to lose, the Martian Manhunter gathered all of his mental and physical strength to fight back and slowly freed himself.

"M'yri'ah," he struggled to say. "I...Lov-"

Knowing what her husband was prepared to do, M'yri'ah could not let him do it. Fighting through the pain the Martian was forcing on her, the wife of J'onn launched the strongest psychic attack she could create. The result was opening her mind fully to her attacker, allowing him to become susceptible to her attack and receive his right back.

With his head flying back, the Martian let out a scream as his eyes faded and rolled back. Hitting the ground, he grabbed his head and felt his brain ignite in flames. It only lasted for an instant, but it was enough to knock him out and lay on the red soil, drooling and twitching.

"M'yr, M'yri'ah!" Quickly getting to his hands and feet, J'onn swiftly bear crawled the few feet to his wife and knelt beside her. "M'yri'ah."

"J'onn." She weakly opened her eyes and felt her husband try to enter her mind to comfort her. She immediately shut him out, reaching up to caress his face when she saw the hurt look in his eyes. "You can't."

"Why, why did you-"

"Because, I could not let him win." Looking over at the fallen Martian, M'yri'ah snarled slightly. "He's a monster, J'onn. I could not let you succumb to his desires. He has killed so many, and for you to do the same to him, I could not let you do it."

"But why you?" J'onn asked. "I am a Manhunter, it is my job to police Mars, to keep its people safe, especially you, my wife."

"It was the only way, and already too late for me. He has perfected H'ronmeer's Curse." She swallowed hard. "I was doomed from the moment he infected me."

"M'ryi'ah."

"I only regret not being able to feel you in my mind, to never feel your touch again."

Stiffening, M'yri'ah took a sharp breath. "It, it hurts. It burns!"

"Shh, it will be over soon." Holding her close, J'onn made sure she knew he was right there beside her until the end.

"Promise me, promise me he will never harm anyone again. Please. For our daughter. For all of Mars."

"M'yri'ah, I-"

"I love you, J'onn. Always remember."

"M'y- M'yri'ah..."

With his wife still in his arms, J'onn J'onzz, one of Mars' best policing agents known as a Manhunter, watched his wife pass. Her bright red eyes slowly dimmed, drawing a cascade of tears from her husband's eyes until they became dark and lifeless.

Dipping his head, J'onn touched his forehead to hers, aching to have saved her but unable to do so. He could not even reach out with his mind to touch hers due to what the Martian placed in her mind, a curse to end all life on Mars. Hundreds had perished including his wife and daughter, leaving J'onn, the sole survivor of his immediate family as the only witness to the near apocalyptic destruction narrowly avoided being caused by his longtime friend and fellow Manhunter.

As the lone Martian mourned for his wife, holding her tight and crying into her neck, a dark laughter slowly grew louder behind him. With tears still in his eyes, J'onn gently placed his wife on the ground and stood, facing the downed Martian and stomped over to him. Part of him wanted to end his life, to make him pay for putting an end to all the Martians he killed in his quest for power, to avenge his wife and daughter, to make sure he could never cause any destruction like what he had caused anymore.

With his eyes flashing, J'onn felt his anger boil the closer he got to the Martian. His right hand morphed into a jagged pike for the intention of impaling the Martian's chest when he heard the sound of a Manhunter ship approaching.

"Do it, J'onn," the Martian taunted. "You know you want to. But you can't."

Tightening his left fist, J'onn wanted so much to dig his sharpened arm into the Martian's heart, if he had one.

"You were my friend, my brother. We were Manhunters," J'onn told him.

"And that is all we would ever be," the Martian hissed. "To be anything, you need power. And what greater power is there than holding life in your hands."

"You are a Martian, not a God."

"I am more of a Martian and less of a God compared to you and the rest of our kind." He grunted. "I will have Mars. H'ronmeer's Curse will see to that. It will be mine. And you will be witness to it."

"As long as I stand, Mars will be protected from you, Ma'alefa'ak. You are not Martian, as my wife stated, you are a monster. And there is a place for monsters like you, a place where you will never see the sky again."

With the Manhunter ships arriving, 'V' shaped red and blue flying machines, J'onn had his arm turn back to normal. "You are hereby under arrest and sentenced to life in the deepest part of Mars' caverns. You-"

"You are a fool," Ma'alefa'ak laughed. "You cannot keep me. With everything I have surrendered for H'ronmmer's power, there is nothing you can do to stop me. Mars will have a God for a ruler. And since I could not take your wife as my queen, I will wait until one is supplied for me. Then Mars will be mine and all who challenge me will die, especially you."

"And that," J'onn said forcefully, "will never happen. I swear on my life."

With the ships arriving, J'onn used his telekinesis to hold Ma'alefa'ak down until his backup could restrain him properly. Many questions were unanswered. How he obtained the ability know as H'ronmeer's Curse, what he had surrendered for it, and how were they going to obtain the information they needed if they, or anyone, could not read his thoughts as the power he had prevented it and killed any telepathic who did so.

So many questions needed to be answered, but now was not the time for them. J'onn would get the answers he needed later. As for now, he had a wife and daughter to bury and mourn for.

 **Merry Christmas and Happy New Year, everyone!**


	2. Chapter 1

**HAPPY NEW YEAR EVERYONE! Can't believe I haven't updated this story since last year (lame joke). Enjoy.**

1.

PRESENT DAY:

"Do it!"

"No."

"Come on!"

"I don't wanna."

"I'll be your friend."

"You're already my friend."

"I'll be your best friend."

"You're my only friend."

Inside the middle of the living area of Titan Tower, two kids stood in front of a large flat screen television with cartoons playing on the screen. Both, a five year old boy with coal colored hair, and a near seven year old strawberry blonde girl with pigtails, had several toys spread on the coffee table with a folded red outfit resting in the girl's arms.

"It's fixing to start, come on," the girl whined. "You know we can't watch until we're dressed."

"Ugh, fine." Relenting, the boy threw his head back and took a sagging position. "Why do we have to do this every time?"

"Because it's fun, duh. I'll go first."

Taking a step back, the young girl grabbed a red bug-like toy from the coffee table and held it up high. "TIKKI, SPOTS ON!"

Passing the toy to the side of her ear, which had clipped on red plastic polka dot earrings, she hummed a tune as she let out a gasp and shot around the room. A yellow-green blur followed her from how fast she moved around the perimeter of the room until it turned red when she stopped where she had taken off from. A pile of clothes, shoes, socks, a yellow shirt and green shorts, lay scattered around the room as she kicked a leg up as high as she could, stomped her foot on the floor, and struck a pose. Now she was donned in a red jumpsuit with black polka dots with matching mask and a yo-yo in her hand.

"Okay, it's your turn," she told the boy.

"I know that." Grabbing a black bug-like toy of his own, the boy formed a ring on his right hand as he held the object. "PLAGG, CLAWS OUT!"

Passing his hand across his face, the child had a black quarter-mask form over his eyes with green transparent lenses covering where his eyes would be. Stroking a hand over his hair, he formed back cat ears in his locks and had his shirt and shorts morph into an all-black suit complete with a tail made from a backwards belt. He then finished his transformation off by striking a pose to display he was finished.

"Now we can watch Miraculous Ladybug!" the girl exclaimed as she threw her yo-yo up into the air and barley managed to catch it just as the cartoon they were waiting for began to play over the TV.

"Man, that was rough." Rubbing his shoulder, Garfield made his way into the living area, sweat covering his brow, and stopped when he felt a hand on his other shoulder.

"You know you like it rough." Removing her cloak, Raven draped it over her shoulder as she headed to the kitchen with an extra sway in her step.

With his eyes wide and a grin on his face, Garfield watched his girlfriend head to the refrigerator as another hand slapped him on the shoulder, his sore shoulder, causing him to wince.

"Easy there, Mean Green." Walking past the green skinned shapeshifter, Terra, the team's Earth mover, took her gloves off and headed for the two children in front of the TV. "Save it for downtime. No one wants to see that."

"W, what?!" Garfield's face had turned completely red at her remark.

"Just messing with ya."

With Terra checking on the kids, the daughter of Artemis and Wally, and the son of Conner and M'gann, Garfield rolled his left sleeve of his black and purple uniform up and worked his elbow. His arm from the shoulder to the joint was sore from the morning training session in which he, Raven, Terra, and a just departing Kyle Rayner were going over grappling techniques. It was stupid on his part to refuse to tap out when Raven locked in a chicken wing. He wanted to see how long he could last and took it too far. Now he was paying for it.

"Eggs?" Raven asked when Garfield got to the kitchen.

"Egg substitute?" he asked.

"Chicken fetuses."

"No thanks. I think I'll get some tofu bacon and toast."

"Nothing beats the taste of real pork, Gar."

"I've been a pig."

"You've also been several carnivores and they eat meat, not fake meat." Turning to face the green skinned teen, Raven gave the slightest of grins, one only the closest of onlookers could see. "Come to the porkside, Gar. Resistance is futile."

"You're never going to corrupt me, Rachel," Garfield playfully told her. "I was nearly eaten saving you from Klarion, so I know what those animals feel like. No meat for me."

"BACON!" Slamming her hands on the counter behind the couple, Terra surprised them both, forcing Raven to go back to her usual quiet self and Garfield to jump at the sudden shock.

"I'll take six slices, thank you, Rae Rae" the Earth mover said.

"Then you make 'em. I'm doing eggs." Using her black energy, the Gothic teen had several large eggs crack and poured them into a frying pan. "I'll make extra."

"In that case, I'll just do the entire pound of sweet, sweet pig meat."

With a sickly look about him, Garfield let out a soft groan. "You two are sick."

"And you're-" Wincing slightly, Raven turned to look over at the entrance from the hall to the living area. It was the same time the young dark haired boy laid eyes on the same spot.

"What's wrong?" Terra asked as she pulled a package of bacon out for the fridge along with the orange juice.

"Daddy's mad," the boy said, prompting the girl by his side to turn from the TV.

A FEW MOMENTS EARLIER:

Arriving back from a two day mission, the red and blue Martian Bioship descended into the hanger of Titan Tower. The side of the living ship showcased a rather long and thick 'blister' from just past the cockpit to the craft's midway point. The rest of the ship looked perfect beyond that blemish and even now, it was ever so slightly changing colors as it healed itself, the benefit of having a Martian craft that was alive.

"Look, Conner, it was a one-time accident and didn't happen again. So drop it." Leaving the entry way of her bioship, Mrs. Martian, still in her mission attire, hastily made her way to the hanger's entrance.

"That's not the point." Walking slightly behind her, her husband, Superboy, had a stern look on his face. "You knew what we were up against and you still went off by yourself."

"I had it under control." Rounding the corner of the hanger's entrance, Mrs. Martian roughly pressed the button on the elevator to take her several floors down where the living area and the rooms were located. "I've dealt with people with pyro-kinesis before and she was no different."

"Then explain- Hey!"

Having to dash forward, Superboy barely managed to slip his hand between the doors of the elevator to prevent them from closing on him. Once inside, he let them slide shut behind him and faced his wife.

"Then explain how she was able to get you into a sealed area and nearly kill you!"

"Calm down, Conner!" M'gann all but yelled. "I said it was a mistake. I thought she had the hostages in the garage and tried to stop her, simple as that."

"She nearly killed you."

"I phased through the floor before she went supernova."

"You still should have let me go in. Fire can't hurt me and that was a dumb move."

"Oh, so now I'm dumb." Crossing her arms, M'gann stuck a hip out with an angered look on her face.

"That's not what I said," Conner told her.

"You implied it."

"No, I didn't."

"Calling what I did 'dumb' implies that I am dumb. I did what I had to do in order to, one, catch Sungirl, and two, find the hostages. And if you think what I did was dumb, what about when you went after Parasite by yourself? You can't touch him without risking your life, so don't go trying to make me look like I wasn't the only one going up against someone who could end a fight in an instant."

"M'gann, you-"

"Drop it." Without another word, the Martian woman phased through the floor of the elevator.

"M'gann!" Conner bellowed. "Ugh, I hate it when she does that."

(-)

Phasing through the elevator doors and into the hallway, M'gann landed on the floor and let out a huff. Raking a hand through her hair, which was now short in the back and grew slightly longer as it went to the front, she gave a quick glance at what floor Conner was still on. Seeing he would be on the same floor as her in a few seconds, and still be mad with what she did, she gingerly moved her cape to the side and had her black and red uniform form a clear spot on her side.

Her green skin, one she had picked out to hide the fact she was a white Martian, was red with light scorch marks from a stream of plasma the new criminal on the scene known as Sungirl shot at her. With heat being a deadly weakness to her kind, she had to maneuver quickly to avoid being struck in the chest by the stream. She knew she was lucky. One split second later in her reaction time and she would not have been coming home to her son and blood brother. But then there was what Conner did.

On what was supposed to be a one day mission to Seattle to stop whatever new scheme Parasite was up to, ended up with the battle couple intercepting a transmission about Sungirl. Before her, they had found Parasite at a nuclear plant under construction with what looked to be a truck load of stolen plutonium rods. With her getting construction workers to safely, Conner had taken it upon himself to confront the criminal alone and nearly met his end by being drained of his powers and thrown into the reactor. It was only by his wife's timely arrival that she was able to keep her husband from being the purple skinned criminal's next 'meal'.

Wincing from the pain in her side, M'gann formed her uniform over her wound at the sound of the elevator arriving and headed to the living area. Hearing Conner call her name, she ignored it and turned the corner into the living area where she came to a stop at the sight of her son, Irey, and her team staring at her with Artemis' face displayed on the TV.

"Stop being mad at daddy," her son, Carter, who was still dressed in his little costume, said with a stern look.

"Carter-"

"Sit," TV Artemis ordered.

"M'gann," Conner said as he rounded the corner. "M'gann, I-"

Stopping in his tracks, Conner first saw the way his son was looking at him before spotting the rest of the Titan team and Irey.

"Stop being mad at mommy," Carter told him, just as sternly as he told his mother.

"You too, Krypto-idiot," Artemis said. "Sit."

"What are you-"

"SIT!"

Surprised by the blonde's shout, Conner rolled his eyes and headed for the couch in front of the TV as Artemis watched.

Both husband and wife took a seat with a space between them, something that did not go unnoticed by the woman on the screen.

"Scoot closer," Artemis told them.

Letting out a simultaneous huff, the two did as they were told.

"Hold hands."

They complied.

Looking past the couple, Artemis spotted her daughter in her little costume and smiled. "Sweetie," she said in a kind voice, "you and Carter go watch Ladybug in Uncle Gar's room, okay? Momma's got some psycho counseling to do."

"Come on, you two, we got fresh crispy bacon and eggs to eat." Ushering the children and helping them with their toys, Terra was followed by Raven and Garfield who brought the food with them.

"Now," Artemis said with her attention focused on the married couple, "unless you want me to send Wally down there for a week to eat you out of house and home, I advise you to tell me what happened on your mission and why you're fighting again."

Glancing at each other from the corners of their eyes, Conner and M'gann kept the stern looks on their faces and did not say a word.

"Wally!" Artemis called.

"Yeah, babe?" the speedster said from the background.

"You hungry?"

"Always!"

It was then when the Kents told her everything.

(-)

Later that night, M'gann sat in the large walk-in shower connected to their master bedroom. It was large enough to fit at least five people with room left over, which meant she had enough room to shift into her true Martian form quite easily. As it was, she sat on a bench with the left over steam surrounding her and simply relaxed with a towel wrapped around her.

Her side still hurt and would need time to heal. As a Martian, she would need to take time off from mission duties until she was cleared as it affected her more than the others. Raven could heal her quicker, no doubt, and was what she had in mind first thing in the morning. Right now, she just wanted the past forty eight hours to flow down the drain with the remaining water as she dried her hair with a towel.

"M'gann?"

Looking at the sliding door to the shower, M'gann saw the shadowed silhouette of her husband.

"Are you okay?"

"I'm fine, Conner," she responded.

"Can I come in?"

She scoffed and smiled faintly to herself. "Go ahead."

Entering the shower, Conner, with only a pair of low riding lounge pants on, looked down at his wife with a concerned look. "I'm sorry."

"So am I," she said with the same look in her eyes.

"I didn't mean to be so angry, but seeing you nearly, you know,"

"Yeah. I saw you like that too." She swept some of her hair back. "I hate it when we fight, Conner."

"So do I." He moved from the door to the wall in front of her, the shower head still dripped left over water beside him. "You scared me out there. When I saw the garage go up, I thought that was it. I thought you; I thought I lost you again."

"I was thinking that when you were fighting Parasite. When he threw you into the reactor, I thought I wouldn't make it to catch you. I don't want to lose you ever again, not after I got you back. I was so scared."

"But not for you?"

"No. Never for me. Why is it when we're together, no matter how much we try to treat each other as partners in the field, we never look out for ourselves as much as we look out for each other?"

Giving a shrug, Conner rubbed the back of his head. "We've always done that. I guess we always will."

The two locked eyes for a few moments, flashes of memories were shared between them through their own permanent private mind link, the one that was established when they got married near the end of the Darkseid invasion and smiled at each other.

"I know you're still hurting," Conner told her.

"A little."

"Let me see."

Taking a knee beside his wife, Conner waited for her to undo the top part of her towel and opened it up for him. Gently, he touched the area on her right side, just below her bust and watched as she flinched from the pain. A layer of burn ointment covered the area and glistened in the pale light.

"I'll get Raven to heal you," he told her.

"I'm going to ask her in the morning. It's not as bad as it was earlier."

Looking up at her, Conner had a soft look in his eyes. "Don't scare me like that again, M'gann."

Touching the side of his face gently, M'gann rubbed her thumb along his cheek. "Don't you scare me like that again, Conner."

With a silent promise spoken through their mental link, they drew close to each other and kissed. Husband and wife then retired to their bed for the night with an icepack on M'gann's side Conner had gotten her, and fell asleep with him holding her from behind.


	3. Chapter 2

**AN: Glad you all like the "Dr. Artemis" bit and her threat. As to who called her, I'll leave that to your imaginations. As for the time skip, I included it so I could always go back and add more stories down the line. Often ideas pop in my head and fit in different places in the overall order. This is why I'm making a site to go along with my works and will also add some original stories to fiction press which I have now published my first short story to. I go by the same name there as I do here, so give it a try.**

 **Black' Victor Cachat: I do have something in store for teenage versions of the team members kids down the road, so that will come up later on in another story.**

 **Eric The Looney: LB and CN are just a cartoon in this universe, something for the kids to enjoy along with the heroes of the League. Who knows, maybe the League is behind the production to serve as a reminder that heroes are always to be trusted. Two kids? Dude, there's many couples in this universe, so... (dun, dun, dun)**

2.

WATCHTOWER:

Alone in a private day room, the hero known as Martian Manhunter was in the middle of taking a nap. Normally he would be at home, his human home in Chicago, and relaxing with a plate of Oreos and a gallon of milk. Today was oddly different as he felt fatigued after several hours of watch duty. Three hours was not enough to have the Martian male feel as tired as he was but somehow today was different, as if something were draining his energy.

The room was dark and near soundless with the only noise coming from the Martian. Speaking quietly, his words were in his native language as his head tilted back and forth. The few objects used as decoration floated in the air, a vase, paperweights, plants, pens, paper, and other items slowly traveled across the room until Martian Manhunter shot up with a jolt. The result was everything crashing into the walls with the pens embedding themselves in the wall like high velocity darts.

Breathing hard and rapidly, Martian Manhunter held a hand on his bald head and tried to calm himself down. The trashed room went unnoticed by him as he rubbed his temples with his eyes shut and leaned forward in the chair he occupied. Images of his nightmare continued to flash before his eyes, each one causing his head to pound slightly and dull his other senses. Never had he experienced a dream as vivid as this one, past, present, and future seemed to mesh together into one large nightmare he just could not wake from.

"J'onn?" Coming in through the sliding door, Barry, The Flash, checked on his longtime friend and League partner. "J'onn, hey, what are you doing in-"

Looking around the room, the League's speedster questioningly rose an eyebrow. "Um, decided to redecorate?"

"I wish it were so," Martian Manhunter said weakly.

Studying his friend, Barry furrowed his brows with concern. "Hey, you feeling well?"

"I, I was having a nightmare."

"What about?"

A flash of his dream came to J'onn. "Something that had occurred long ago."

"Care to talk about it?"

"I am sorry, but," standing, J'onn let out a deep breath in an attempt to clear his head, "I must go and check up on someone."

"I'm sure your niece and nephew are okay."

"Inform Batman and the others I am taking a leave of absence."

Heading out of the room, J'onn felt Barry place a hand on his shoulder. "J'onn, if we can help-"

"Thank you, my friend. However, this is something I must tend to myself. It is most likely nothing for me to be concerned over, but I must make sure before I can write it off as nothing more than a dream."

"Well, okay. If you need us I guess." Scratching his head, Barry watched J'onn head in the direction of the a Zeta Tubes. Looking back, he studied the damaged walls and scattered debris his Martian friend was responsible for.

"Some dream."

The Zeta Tubes then announced J'onn's departure."

(-)

"There, almost done."

Standing beside a gurney in the medical room of Titan Tower, Raven had her hands over M'gann's side as a small transparent black dome swirled with purplish clouds within. Healing the burn did not take too long with the teenage Majick user having grown better at her healing ability.

Being careful not to hurt her Martian leader, Raven went slow, watching her black energy surround the wound after the green skinned woman lay on her side and stretched her right arm above her head with her shirt morphing away to allow the Goth girl room to work. Curious as to how her burn looked while healing, M'gann watched a live feed on a nearby monitor as the large blister was first highlighted then shrank until it popped. She only felt a slight prick once it did so followed by a cooling sensation as it healed completely, slowly shrinking in redness until nothing was left.

Grabbing a piece of gauze, Raven wiped clean the undried puss from the wound and stood back. "All done."

Sitting back up, M'gann looked her side over and saw no sign of the burn whatsoever. "Thank you, Raven."

"You're welcome." Throwing away the used gauze, Raven cleaned up at the sink while M'gann morphed her shirt back on. "If you don't mind me asking, why didn't you ask me to heal you yesterday when you got back?"

"Still getting over what happened during the mission," M'gann answered. "It's still amazing what you can do."

"Thanks." Throwing a used paper towel away, the black clad teen came up beside M'gann as they finished with the med room. "I heard you got mad at him and he got mad at you when both of you did something stupid."

Glancing at the young girl, M'gann rolled her eyes. "Equal amounts of stupidity while in the field. Comes with being married to each other."

"Like how you started rolling your eyes like him?"

"I don't do that."

"You just did. And Garfield's caught you. Then there's when Conner cooks. Or tries too."

"Well," M'gann said with a grin as she turned the light off as they left the room for the hallway, "I guess we rubbed off on each other. And what about you and Gar? You've changed your wardrobe since you two-"

"Don't know what you're talking about." Taking the lead, Raven crossed her arms as she went ahead of M'gann.

Watching the teen walk off, the Martin woman snickered as she looked Raven up and down. Instead of the normally baggy clothes she once wore, she had begun to wear black leggings to show off their shape. A dark purple tank top showcased her arms and went halfway down her hips with a green tribal pattern adorning the side. She even had a pair of cloth fingerless gloves and still wore various metal chains on a belt hanging diagonally around her waist. It was once that she hardly showed any skin whatsoever, but after becoming a couple with Garfield, she has come out of her shell and has begun showing more emotions. It was something M'gann was grateful for, even if Raven was still playing it off as normal for her.

Entering the hallway with a traumatized look on her face, Terra held a plate with a black substance that looked like she had scraped it from the beach side grill outside of the tower after a long day of bar-b-q'ing. "Help us. Please. For the love of all that is good. Save us."

"Case and point," Raven said as she headed to her room. "I'm going to the city for some breakfast."

"I would make a joke about you sneaking off with Garfield to be alone, but this inedible monstrosity before me has killed my sanity."

"Super hearing!" Conner called from the living area where the kitchen was located next to.

Gulping, Terra gave M'gann the puppy dog pout, making the Martian giggle and take the plate from her. "Go with Raven and the others. I'll show Conner how to make...what was this?"

"Oatmeal," Terra answered. "He burned oatmeal."

"Take Carter with you and run. Run far and fast," M'gann joked as Terra nodded and headed after Raven. Garfield soon entered the hallway and sighed with a distressed look before his blood sister motioned for him to join the others.

"Conner?" Carrying the plate with the blackened oatmeal, M'gann headed to the kitchen where she saw her husband washing the dishes. The water was black from the ashes as the pot soaked. "You do know they'll catch onto this eventually, right?"

Taking out a pan, Conner gave her a smirk. "Until then, I'll keep doing it."

His eyes were returning back to their regular blue from using his simulated heat vision. Through practice with his TTK, he has been able to better mimic his lacking natural Kryptonian abilities as well as add to the ones he had since his creation. Ever since he began practicing with his simulated heat vision more, he has become faster at using it and could now create a force shield around him or explode it out in a shock wave. It was something Killer Frost quickly learned about in her attempt to escape Belle Reve several years ago.

"But there's got to be a better way to be alone for a few hours." Scraping the plate's contents into the trash, M'gann had it float over into the water with the pot then joined her husband.

"If you want to be alone," she said, wrapping her arms around his neck. "All you have to do is have another team member come to train them, send them to train in Happy Harbor with the black ops team or at Watchtower, and not risk poisoning them with charred oats."

"Or I could just tell them the truth and scar them for life," Conner told her with is arms wrapped around her waist. "Happy almost anniversary."

"Happy almost anniversary, Conner."

A loving kiss followed by a mental conversation was exchanged between the two until Carter came running into the kitchen to say goodbye as he and the others headed to the Zeta platform. With the computer signaling the departure of the group, the married couple turned their focus back to each other.

Wrapping her arms around her husband's neck, M'gann smiled as she kissed him while being lifted up onto the counter. An extra set of arms formed from her sides and went about untucking Conner's shirt. Grinning back, the Krypto-Human felt his wife snake her extra set of hands up his abdomen and chest before moving to the back to pull him closer with her legs wrapping around his waist.

The two were fully into the moment and were just about to move things to their bedroom when their romantic interlude was cut short as the Zeta platform activated once more and the computer announced the arrival of Martian Manhunter.

"Uncle J'onn!" M'gann announced when she heard her uncle arrive. She quickly absorbed her second set of arms.

" _J'onn,_ " Conner mentally said. He received a light slap to his leg as M'gann hopped off the counter, adjusted her clothes to a presentable look, and went to greet her uncle.

"Good morning, M'gann. Good morning, Conner." Stepping down from the Zeta platform, the human disguised Martian carried with him a plastic sack. He received a hug from his niece and a nod from Conner who was finishing up the dishes.

"What brings you by this morning?" M'gann asked. "You should have said you were coming by. I would have made breakfast."

"My apologies, but I will not be staying for long." Bringing the bag up, J'onn pulled from it a Lego set. "Is Carter here?"

"He went with the others into the city just now. If you want to wait-"

"I am afraid I must be going."

"Is anything wrong?"

The stotic look on the Martian's face hid what was going on in his mind perfectly. Coupled with the mental block he had in place, his niece had no idea what he was actually thinking or feeling at the moment. Having her worry was the last thing he wanted as he was just going on a hunch, but the dream he had was so vivid, so real, that he did not want to take any chances and alarm others if it were only that, a dream. Still, what he saw, his fate, his niece's fate, it was a chance he could not afford to leave.

"No, nothing is wrong, M'gann," J'onn told her. "I am just going to Mars for a bit to check up on a few things. I should be back in a day or two. But please, give this to Carter and tell him I love him and that I will see him next time."

"I will. But, are you sure nothing is wrong?"

By now J'onn and his niece's conversation had attracted Conner who could be seen looking at them from the corner of his eye as he put the dishes away. The Martian male hoped he had taken every precaution to hide what he was actually feeling and doing, but now he was having second thoughts, what with Conner's enhanced hearing and all.

"Yes, nothing is wrong, M'gann." Reaching out, J'onn took her into a tight hug, one that lingered as if it were their last. "I love you, my niece."

"I love you, too, uncle."

As the Martians embraced, J'onn looked over at Conner, his eyes flashing for a moment.

Quickly glancing at the League member, Conner watched as his wife separated from her uncle and furrowed his eyebrows. A moment later, the Zeta platform activated and J'onn was gone, leaving M'gann staring after him.

"What was that about?" Conner asked as he came to his wife's side.

"I guess he's just been busy and needs some down time." M'gann told him. "I didn't get any emotional runoff from him."

"Something's not right."

"Like what?"

"His heart," Conner said with a faraway look in his eyes. "It sounded like he wasn't being entirely truthful. And then there's what he told me before he left. And how he said it."

Moving the toy under an arm, M'gann looked at her husband quizzically. "What did he tell you?"

Shifting his jaw, Conner looked back down at her. "He told me, 'Protect them'. 'No matter what'."


	4. Chapter 3

**AN: Okay, so I have a new job that I have to wake up early in the morning for. I don't know if my schedule will change but I may publish new chapters later in the day on Sundays.**

 **Eric- The Hall does exist again. I had another story using it but I think I'll end up putting parts of it in this one later down the line. J'onn and M'gann's relationship will also be addressed later and the one I have planned after this (Chronologically) Will have more on the kids.**

 **Guest- Thank you for taking the time to read it. Hope you enjoy the rest of it.**

3.

"Okay, so, what are we going to do?"

"Eat, duh."

Rolling his eyes, Garfield grabbed his glass of orange juice and gulped down half of its contents. "I mean for sis and Conner's anniversary, not at breakfast, Terra."

For the past hour, Garfield, Terra, Raven, and Carter sat outside a cafe in the middle of Jump City's Arts district. Situated by the bay with the tower's island far in the background, the district was a nice setting with an equally nice view. An iron fence ran along the edge of a sidewalk, providing a barrier for the citizens as they jogged, walked, or sought a romantic venue for a date. Children running up and down the paved walkway provided loud laughter as others played at a nearby park surrounded with colorful flags to provide a large splash of color to the area. Vendors sold their handmade wares to both tourists and townsfolk with others providing music for tips. Then there were the school organizations with dance demonstrations, plays, and other well practiced activities.

Bright green grass was filled with patrons picnicking for breakfast or brunch. Families took pictures of their children near flower beds or on a few of the playground equipment for cherished memories. It was a bright, peaceful day for the city and everyone took full advantage of the clear sky and barely there breeze.

"We could decorate the living room. Streamers, balloons, confetti, you know, party stuff." As if the large amount of pancakes in Terra's mouth was not enough as she spoke, she shoveled in a forkful of eggs.

"And cake," Carter added through a mouth full of hash browns.

"What about Kyle?" The blonde girl asked once she swallowed her food. "Is he in on this?"

" _I'm right here, you know_." Speaking from Raven's phone, Kyle, aka, the young Green Lantern, could be heard among a large group of people from his high school. " _I may be in the middle of orientation and schedule crap, but I can still say something."_

"So what ideas do you have?" Garfield asked.

" _Yeah, that's art three I want_."

"Kyle?"

" _Yeah. I'm here_."

"So what ideas do you have?"

A moment passed before the Lantern responded. "So since everyone's coming over, maybe we should get catering? Maybe from that restaurant they like so much."

"McDonalds?" Carter asked.

"No, you nut," Terra told the small boy. "That's yours."

Carter, with a pair of dark sunglasses on to hide his red eyes, eyes which he could not change as his Kryptonian side prevented him in doing so, smiled at the blonde and continued to eat.

"We could do that," Garfield said. "We could do the steak and lobster dinners for everyone. There's more than enough money in our account for that. And Cissie's getting the list of drinks I gave her when she gets back from her grandma's."

"But is there enough to feed Uncle Wally?" Carter asked.

"I like this kid," Raven said flatly. "He knows the score."

Carter smiled back at Raven.

" _No, I need Home Economics. Yeah. Yeah, that's the one_."

"Kyle?" Terra asked.

" _Yeah, still here_."

"Looking to take Home-Ec?"

" _Hey, there's a hot chick taking that class and I'm taking it with her. If that's wrong then, yadda yadda yadda, and so on and so on_."

"Pfft, boys," Terra said as she bit into a piece of ham.

(-)

Mars:

Several minutes had passed since the arrival of J'onn, now in his Martian Manhunter attire to the red planet. As always when he arrived back on Mars, he was greeted by higher ups as a diplomat and hero of the Martian people. His status as a member of the Justice League preceded him and gained him much respect and admiration. But this was not a day to speak to the planet's leaders, nor was it a day to regale others with tales of his adventures on Earth.

Making his way from the Zeta platform stationed near the Martian Capitol, Martian Manhunter flew high over the underground streets of the vast city. While the surface of Mars was void of life, save for a few bioships and Martian scientists/explorers, underground was a much different story.

If one were to split the planet in half, they would find something similar to a hive of ants with endless tunnels cut through the Martian earth. Large cities, as large as those on Earth, were built closer to the surface due to hangers for interstellar ships needing to be docked as they were the fastest way to travel but not allowed underground for obvious reasons.

As with any Earth city, there were rural areas surrounding them where the lower class Martians lived. Houses carved from the rock formed neighborhoods with streets allowing the inhabitants to travel on foot or simply fly if they so chose. Parks, shops, community centers, and other things found on Earth were easily found on Mars, making the Martian Leaguer feel at home regardless if he were on the red or blue planet.

Forgoing his usual visit to see his family, the Justice Leaguer wasted no time in heading east of his position. Even though it had been some time since he was at his intended destination, Martian Manhunter knew precisely where he needed to go. He was the one responsible for its creation to begin with.

Not even a fifteen minute flight at top speed, phasing through walls as he went, Martian Manhunter arrived at a location not many knew about. One could call it a prison with the way it was built, no way in, no way out unless density shifting was used. Five guards from the Martian military and a female liaison were stationed before a transparent blue force wall where a single Martian was housed within a fifteen by fifteen foot room with only the necessities provided.

"League member on the deck!" one of the guards shouted to the others.

In unison, all five stood at full attention and saluted the member of the Justice League.

"It is an honor to have you here." Extending his hand, the leader of the group shook Martian Manhunter's hand. "The legend himself."

"Greetings, Sergeant," Martian Manhunter said with a nod.

"What can we do for you?" the female Martian asked. As with the others, she was in a humanoid form where her appearance was that of an attractive woman in a form fitting navy blue and red bodysuit. Her face was slender with red eyes and pale pink lips and no hair to be seen. Instead, her head ended in a long 'tail' that went halfway down her back. "It is not often we have visitors to this cell. Not that many know of its existence."

"Miss Cay'an," Martian Manhunter addressed. Choosing to ignore the dreams, and the feeling he got from them, he instead looked at the glowing blue wall. "Have you had any problems with the prisoner?"

"Ma'alefa'ak? He has been the same since the day you brought him in yourself." Moving to the side, the Martian liaison let her guest view the cell the others were charged with guarding.

"A five Martian squad is stationed here at all times. Five squads in total stand guard at all hours of the day like you requested and our leader ordered. There is not a second where Ma'alefa'ak is not watched, even when we switch shifts. Which reminds me,"

Turning to the lead guard, Cay'an gave him a slight bow. "Sergeant Gla'nn, I am finished with the daily report. Thank you for your time."

"Miss Cay'an, has anyone used telekinesis around him?" Martian Manhunter asked as he ventured over to the cell and the liaison headed to a control panel.

"No one, as ordered." Grabbing a file, Cay'an looked up at a clock above where she stood. "I have to meet with members of the high counsel soon, but if you wish to continue your queries about the prisoner, I am free in about two hours."

"There is no need. I wanted to check on things myself."

"Then good day, Manhunter J'onzz."

"Good day, Miss Cay'an."

Standing before the energy wall, while the liaison phased through the rock wall to be on her way, Martian Manhunter stared at the Martian trapped within. Dressed in a pair of bright orange pants with no shirt, Ma'alefa'ak sat against the far wall with his head tilted downward. His red eyes glowed brightly in the dim room and were a sharp contrast to the blue hue of the energy wall. Only a sink and toilet were inside with him while the walls were covered in white Martian writings carved into them. What appeared to be rotten food lay on the ground near the right corner of the cell closest to the blue wall. Other than that, there was nothing inside with the prisoner.

"He barely eats," the lead guard commented. "He mostly sits like a statue in the same spot. He has even worn the stone seat to fit his posterior from the years he has been there, and he only moves to use the facility, write the date, or take his food portion for the day."

"No one has had contact with him?"

"Not since the day the wall was activated. He has not said so much as a word in all of the years I have been stationed with guarding him."

"And the mental inhibitors?"

Looking at the League member, the lead Martian guard grew a puzzled look. "Why all of the questions? Is there something we need to know?"

"Just, a feeling. "Keeping his eyes on Ma'alefa'ak, Martian Manhunter pondered why he would only stay sitting in the same position day in and day out. A closer look enabled him to see where in the stone the captured Martian had worn away just by staying in the same spot for eighty years.

"A feeling?" The lead guard asked as he watched the League member lightly touch the force wall. A light electric spark developed upon contact. "Good or bad?"

"Just a feeling. It is why-"

"You had to come and see if I am still your captive?"

"What did you say?" Turning to face the lead guard, Martian Manhunter saw him staring back with an evil smile.

"Have a nice life, J'onn?"

Before Martian Manhunter could react, one of the other guards came from behind and stabbed him in the back. Lashing out, the Justice Leaguer backhanded the attacker when the lead guard wrapped his battle staff around his neck. As the other four guards closed in, Martian Manhunter leapt up and kicked the closest one, the one who stabbed him. Phasing through the staff of the one behind him, the Leaguer telekinetically shoved two others away to create room to fight.

"Why are you attacking me?!" Martin Manhunter yelled when one of the other guards laughed.

"Is it not obvious, J'onn?" the last guard said as he walked around the fight. "Eighty years in this cage you created has not ebbed anything I have planned, just postponed it."

Approaching the main computer console, the guard brought up the energy wall's readings. "Eighty years you have taken away from me. Eighty years you have neglected Mars of its God. That is a long time, J'onn. Time enough for me to meditate, to harness what I have left from my sacrifice, to assimilate into the weak minds of those around me."

Pressing a few icons on a touch screen panel, the guard input the code for the wall. "I have sacrificed my ability to density shift. I have sacrificed my ability to telekinetically communicate, leaving my mind cut off from others. But in all of my sacrifices, I have gained power beyond belief, to spread my will throughout Mars and unite it under its one rightful ruler. It's God."

Lowering the power output for the energy wall, the guard watched as Martian Manhunter continued to fight the other four guards. Once the glowing blue barrier fell, Ma'alefa'ak, the real Ma'alefa'ak, stood and cracked his neck. His body then shifted to its predatory state, the one he last used eighty years ago in his last fight against his former Manhunter partner. He let out a deep growl as he saw Martian Manhunter dispatch of the last guard.

No sooner had the Justice Leaguer put the last guard down when he heard a soul piercing roar. Turning, he only had time to see the red eyes of Ma'alefa'ak as he leapt at him. Shoved to the floor, Martian Manhunter flipped his attacker over onto his back. Before he could get back to his feet, Ma'alefa'ak lashed out with a clawed hand, slicing and drawing blood from the Leaguer's face.

Everything happened so fast with Martian Manhunter having barely any time to react to the vicious onslaught. The moment he felt his blood spill down his face, Ma'alefa'ak mentally lifted him up into the air and bashed his head into the ceiling. The world was a spinning blur for the Justice League member, so much so, he did not realize he had hit the ground and lay on his back.

"You are getting old, J'onn," Ma'alefa'ak said menacingly. "Old and slow. But as much as I would love to kill you now, I need you. I need a way out."

Holding his right hand up, Ma'alefa'ak had his fingers elongate and flatten on the ends. Small needle-like spikes extended from the center of each tip as they changed slightly to resemble suction cups.

"Now, let us see what secrets you have in this mind of yours."

Had anyone been around to hear the screams, they would have thought someone was dying.

(-)

Arriving back at the Martian Capitol, Martian Manhunter headed to the Zeta platform on foot. Passing him by, Martian officials gave him slight bows as he continued on as if he had never seen them. None took it as anything more than he was on League business and let him pass without question or bother. It was the same everywhere he went until he arrived at the entry to the room where the Zeta platform was stored.

Exiting a side room, a white tunic wearing Red Martian female carried with her a stack of files. She was dressed as an emissary and like the others; she gave the Martian League member a respectful bow when she saw a few drops of purple fluid behind him, his blood. Her gaze instantly switched from the drops of blood to Martian Manhunter's back when she saw something odd behind him, as if there were something keeping his cape from covering his back completely, and a glimmering object right on his heels.

Looking around, the Red Martian woman saw no one was giving Martian Manhunter a second look. Abandoning her current heading, she began to follow the League member, keeping care as to leave enough space between them to not look as if she were following him. Keeping her head down, she pretended to be reading the files in her possession while keeping close to the side where the entrance to the rooms were.

The more she followed, the closer she looked behind the Martian hero. It was strange, as is there were something behind him taking care to not be seen, evident whatever it was, was in camouflage mode. Every few steps, more droplets of purple blood hit the stone floor until Martian Manhunter climbed up the steps to the Zeta platform.

"This is Justice League Member Zero Seven, Martian Manhunter. Acknowledge guest override access to Zeta transportation." The words were not in Martian Manhunter's usual voice. They were more monochromatic, more robotic in nature. Nevertheless, the computer scanned him and allowed entry when the 'guest' he authorized clearance for appeared next to him.

"Good boy. Now, let's see what this n-"

"Martian Manhunter?" Standing at the bottom of the steps, the Martian female studied the two when a realization hit her. "You, why would you, Ma'alefa-AGH!"

Ripping his hand from the side of Martian Manhunter, Ma'alefa'ak leapt down the steps and impaled the woman in the chest, killing her instantly. As her body fell, her files scattered around the floor, her purple blood staining the heavily worked on truce between the Green and White Martian populace.

With his hand returning to normal, Ma'alefa'ak rejoined Martian Manhunter and was scanned by the Zeta platform. As the gateway opened to transport him off Mars, he smiled evilly and stuck his hand back into Martian Manhunter's side, controlling him like a puppet and stepped forward.


	5. Chapter 4

**AN:**

 **Black' Victor Cachat- Thanks for pointing that out. I'll make corrections when I can and update the chapter. And yeah, don't want to surprise the couple with a party when their 'celebrating' on their own.**

 **Katie Luthor- Thanks. Those two are my favorite to write about. Hope you enjoy the rest of the story.**

4.

Titan Tower:

"I think that will be better. The roof gives us more room and we can decorate it with lights and music, you know, basic party stuff."

Sitting around a conference table, Cissie, Kyle, Raven, Terra, and Garfield looked over a list and plan for a surprise anniversary party for Conner and M'gann. Cissie had suggested using the roof and had even gone so far as to draw a quick plan on a large sheet of paper. Markings for the party's layout were sketched out with a buffet table, lights, balloons, gift table, music bar where a sound system was to be placed, and Isis and Wally's own food area.

"What about the kiddos?" Terra asked. " Where are they gonna be?"

"Why not the living area?" Raven asked. "They could watch cartoons, play games, and have the entire space to themselves for the night."

"Or better yet, the gym," Kyle suggested. "It's big, they can run around, and I'll bring my Nerf guns for them to shoot."

"I think we can even run a training simulation for them to play around with. Use the toys to fight, I don't know," Garfield looked over at Raven mischievously." Pegasus Ponies?"

"I will force you to eat an entire cow, you do know that, right?" Raven asked the green teen.

"Oh come on, momma, it was just a joke."

"I hate Pegasus Ponies."

"Okay, so it's decided," Cissie said as she stood in her place. "The kids will have the gym to themselves to play in while we have the roof for the party. But how can we keep the alien couple from seeing what we're doing?"

"They always go out for their anniversary," Garfield told her. "Courtney told me Artemis and Wally will stop by with the decorations while Dick takes care of the music. All we got to do is pick the food up and have it ready to go."

"Kaldur coming?" Raven asked. "You know how they like the original team all together."

"Yeah. Him and Lilith are coming with Lorena. Everyone will be here. You know, if there's no emergency."

As the group finished hashing out their plans, Wolf came trotting into the conference room with them and let out a soft bark.

"Thanks, boy." Flipping the paper over, Garfield quickly grabbed a few blank sheets of paper as the others Grabbed pencils and pens.

"Garfield?" M'gann's voice came from down the hall.

"In here, sis," her blood brother answered.

Rounding the door frame, M'gann leaned in. "Training in ninety. A few members of the black ops team will be coming over for a joint session. Titans versus black ops."

"And we're on our home turf this time," Terra announced.

"This is our house!" Kyle bellowed.

"Then go show them what you're all made of, team." Moving to the side, M'gann took pride in seeing her team get riled up to make for their loss from the last joint training session. She never knew what they were planning as the teens were careful to hide what they were up too.

(-)

Chicago:

"Now this I can use."

Shifting through the closet of J'onn J'onzz home, Ma'alefa'ak found an extra Martian biosuit and immediately went about changing. For the past five minutes, the Martian prisoner, now fugitive, made himself at home of the Justice League member. Food was a second priority as he first wanted to get out of the prison suit as soon as possible as it was made to not shift with his thoughts.

"You, you-" J'onn tried to say from the floor of his bedroom beside the bed when he as backhanded.

"Quiet, J'onzz." Grabbing the injured Martian by the collar of his cape, Ma'alefa'ak drug him into the main section of his apartment with a visible limp in his right foot.

Shoving Martian Manhunter down, Ma'alefa'ak began to shift his new clothing into a black pair of pants, ending at his crested knees with a red reverse 'Y' design crossing from his right side down to his left. Limping into the kitchen, he then began to go through the pantry, throwing things on the ground he found not worthy of his palate.

"Canned meat?" Ripping a can of Spam open, Ma'alefa'ak dug into the pinkish substance and gorged on it. "Eighty years without anything resembling actual food." He then ripped open a package of Oreos and devoured the cookies.

Rolling over to his back, Martian Manhunter held onto his back where Ma'alefa'ak stabbed him with his hand. Blood poured freely from the wound, but unlike the escaped prisoner, he would heal given time due to his shape shifting ability.

He had never heard of anything like what Ma'alefa'ak had done to him. It was as if he tapped into not only his mind, but nervous system to control him like a puppet. Martians were quite capable of the first, but the latter was unheard of. Through that action, Ma'alefa'ak was not only capable of controlling his every move, but utilizing his powers through, for the lack of better words, body hijacking. Density shifting, camouflage, telekenisis, telekenetic, and it even seemed flight were needed from his former Manhunter partner to leave Mars.

Contacting the League for backup was out of the question as when Ma'alefa'ak probed Martian Manhunter's mind, he saw everything. He knew what he has done since the day he last saw him those eighty years ago. League protocols, identities of his Meta Human friends, family, he knew everything.

Wiping his mouth, Ma'alefa'ak left the pantry, packages of food on the floor, and looked down at the injured Martian Manhunter with hatred. "You have made yourself quite the life here, J'onn. A life you do not deserve. To have locked away your superior, to have hidden me away as if I were a scourge of my Martian brethren, you have only made me stronger."

Reaching down, the predatory Martian ripped part of Martian Manhunter's cape off and sat on the couch beside him. He then went about applying it to his injured ankle, an injury he sustained in his escape from his Martian prison.

"What I have lost, you will supply me with. My powers are waning. So I only need you for a limited time. I will not lie, it will be painful for you, something I will thoroughly enjoy. But this is something you have brought upon yours-"

Interrupting the injured Martian, Martian Manhunter's phone rang. Picking up the device from the side table next to the couch, Ma'alefa'ak saw the smiling picture of Garfield on the display. Grinning, he pressed the accept icon and spoke in J'onn's voice.

"Hello, Garfield," Ma'alefa'ak said in the disguised voice.

" _Hey, Uncle J'onn_." Garfield said. " _We nearly have everything ready for the party tomorrow. Can you please come a little early to watch Carter while we get the food and decorate? Sis and Conner will be in Watchtower for Nightwing's, quote unquote, meeting to keep them busy until party time_."

Looking back at Martian Manhunter, Ma'alefa'ak grinned sinisterly. "That will not be a problem, Garfield. Tell me, how many will be there when I arrive?"

" _Well, it'll be me, Raven, Terra, Kyle, Cissie, the kids, Artemis, and Wally decorating. The rest will be here around seven_."

"That is perfect." The sharpened teeth in Ma'alefa'ak's grin shimmered. "I will be there."

" _Thanks, Unc. See ya later_."

"See you later, Garfield."

Crushing the phone, Ma'alefa'ak let the pieces fall to the floor. "Convenient little device these Earthlings have. They will be the next to bow to me after Mars is securely under my foot."

Turning back to Martian Manhunter, the predatory Martian had his hand morph into its needle-like form again. "Now, before I claim my queen, I want to know all about that little White Martian niece of yours as well as all her abilities and what her friends are capable of. I do believe I will pay her a visit."

With his eyes glowing brightly, Ma'alefa'ak approached the weakened Justice Leaguer with the needle shaped fingers primed to enter his head once again. Placing his foot on Martian Manhunter's chest, the predatory Martian inserted his fingers into the crown of the League member. Eyes rolling back, Ma'alefa'ak hissed as he connected with the mind of his former Manhunter partner and began receiving a wealth of information, all the while as J'onn's body stiffened as if he were paralyzed.

A Martian entering a mind was painless, sometimes with only a slight 'pinch' as it were as the two minds were connected. The way Ma'alefa'ak entered J'onn's mind was akin to a jellyfish wrapping its tentacles around its prey. Once the sharpened fingers entered through the pours in J'onn's skin, hundreds of smaller needle-like fingers shot into his brain. Each one then began to extract whatever Ma'alefa'ak wanted, and he wanted it all.

Everything from J'onn's recent memories to his most intimate thoughts were accessed by the tiny probes. But despite what deep secrets he had or memories not intended for anyone else but himself, Ma'alefa'ak went after what was most beneficial, what he wanted.

Memories of M'gann flowed into Ma'alefa'ak's head. The time with her family when she was learning her abilities, the love they shared, the treatment J'onn was witness to when he saw how his niece was made an outcast due to her White Martian biology. Everything he knew, Ma'alefa'ak now knew.

"Extraordinary," Ma'alefa'ak whispered when he saw what J'onn knew.

He could see the power M'gann possessed, the raw potential she demonstrated in her battles and the sheer brutality of said altercations. There was a certain ease and elegance in how she went about attacking her enemies, something that interested him greatly until he discovered the conversation she and her uncle had about ripping apart minds to gain information.

Ma'alefa'ak's eyes widened. She showed no remorse, no regret at what she had done. From what she had told her uncle, it was so easy for her. This caused the evil Martian to smile at what he had found. Until he came across the last conversation she had with her uncle.

Seeing everything she told J'onn, claiming she had not seen anything wrong in what she had been doing due to her ripping apart the minds of the enemies, and then seeing what she actually did when repairing the mind of a comrade, had begun to anger Ma'alefa'ak. She had developed shame in using her abilities, referring to herself as a monster when it was her unbridled power that made her beautiful, for a White Martian. Then, then he saw the other main reason she refused to use her true power.

Ripping his needle appendages out of J'onn's head, Ma'alefa'ak growled and let out a snort, ignoring the Leaguer as he rolled to his side on the floor.

"You," the angered Martian said, "you let her deny her true potential, her birthright to control power like that, her power!"

Attempting to get to his feet, J'onn felt his muscles weaken and fell back to the floor. Around him, he could hear the clawed feet of Ma'alefa'ak pacing before him but could not do anything at the moment.

"She is a powerful Martian. One that deserves to be looked upon as a Goddess next to her God. For you and this, this weak fool to hold her back, to keep her from claiming what she desires, to be all powerful is a crime against natural order. You are holding her back from her true potential, a potential I will have her realize before making her my queen!"

Picking his foot up, Ma'alefa'ak stomped on J'onn's abdomen. "Now," he then formed his needle appendages again, "you are going to get me into that tower. Tell me everything you know. And maybe I will leave your corpse as the only reminder you existed."

Darkness enveloped J'onn as he felt his mind being invaded once more. He was too weak to fight back mentally or physically. All he could do was lay on his floor, twitching as Ma'alefa'ak had his way with him. His foot had hit a side table, knocking over a picture of him, M'gann, Conner, Carter, and Garfield. It's glass shattering as it hit the floor.


	6. Chapter 5

**Black' Victor Cachat- Oops, yeah, I meant Telepathy.**

 **tysongirl123- Evil indeed, the Oreo stealer.**

 **kayla. samantha. alvarez- The Titans range from 18-20 in age with Gar and Raven as the oldest and Kyle as the youngest. Terra would be in the middle. Actually, Conner would be the youngest cause of, you know, as Carter's not on the team, and M'gann's the oldest.**

 **Eric- I will be bringing in other young heroes in my next season, I already have an idea of who's included and how to introduce them. And just wait for what I have planned moving forward with this story.**

 **Guest- Project Nightstar will be coming up in my next season after this story is complete. I have big plans for her.**

5.

Titan Tower-One Day Later

"Who's got red?"

"I do."

"Can I have it?"

"Almost."

"Can I have yellow?"

"It's in the box."

Gathered on the floor in the middle of the living area of Titan Tower, Carter, Irey, and a young dark skinned girl lay on the carpet with coloring books and a large box of crayons. The large TV had cartoons playing but none of the children payed it any attention as their books needed to be colored desperately. Nothing made sense in their art as dinosaurs were colored purple, cars were polka dotted, and animals looked like they had exploded in a nuclear rainbow.

"Oop, sorry, Sphere." Moving out of the sentient machine's way as she went down the hallway, Lilith Clay entered the living area and headed over to the group of children with a few juice boxes in hand.

Coming up behind the three, the Brazilian woman knelt down beside her daughter, the dark skinned girl, and passed out the boxed drinks. "Is everything okay with you little ones?"

"Look, mommy!" Holding her book up, the dark skinned girl showed off her purple and pink dinosaur.

"That is so pretty, Lori," Lilith commented to her daughter. "Daddy will love that."

"Where's Uncle Kal-Kal?" Irey asked.

"He'll be here later, Isis. He had to go on a mission for Aquaman. I thought you all might want something to drink while we're getting the party ready-ooh."

Flinching, Lilith saw an image of Carter thanking her for his orange box drink as he continued to color. "You're welcome, Carter."

Slapping the boy on the arm, Irey, gave him a Stern pout. "Mind your manners. Thank you, Aunt Lilith."

Giving a huff, Carter looked at Lilith. "Sorry. Thank you, Aunt Lilith."

"It's okay."

"Thanks, mom," Lori, or Lorena, told her mother. She was splitting image of Lilith with a few of her father's, Kaldur's, features, the most obvious ones were the gills in her neck.

Looking the three over, Lilith could see a gap in her child's development and the others. Lorena was coming along at a normal pace but was still behind where the others were at her age. Isis was the offspring of a speedster, her intellect passed on to her from Wally and with her Meta Gene, it increased her cognitive functions. Carter was more of the same as his Martian genes accelerated his brain's development and his Kryptonian genes gave his intelligence a slight boost. But while Carter was mostly well behaved, and Isis was a little of a smart mouth at times, she was grateful the only trouble her daughter caused was getting the fish at Sea World to focus on her so she could pet them.

A moment passed as she watched the children color when the Zeta platform activated and the Daily Planet's top reporter and new anchorwoman for their live broadcasts arrived. Carrying a plastic sack and her purse in one hand and a shopping bag in the other, Lois stepped off the platform and smiled at the children and Lilith.

"Hi, kids. Afternoon, Lilith," Lois said with a smile.

"Good afternoon, Lois," Lilith greeted as the kids did the same. "Need any help?"

"Nah, I got it. Ooh, lovely dress."

Setting the bags on the counter dividing the kitchen and the living area, Lois looked over Lilith's brightly colored outfit. Her dress was quite beautiful as it displayed numerous traditional Brazilian colors in a floral pattern with a light blue blouse that accentuated the colors perfectly.

"Picture time," the reporter said as she reached for her camera in her purse.

"Lois, I-"

"Ah, pictures are ways of preserving moments forever, so smile."

Relenting, Lilith gave a smile as Lois snapped a few shots.

"Nice to see you again," Lois said as she sat her camera down and gave Lilith a hug.

"Thank you. And what did you do to your hair? I like it."

"Well, I needed a change and decided to go short for a while."

"Wish I could wear my hair like that," Lilith told her while looking over the brunette woman's hairstyle. It was just past her neck, barely touching her shoulders with a style that insinuated both power and femininity, perfect for a woman who was always in the spotlight.

"Well, I tell you what, stop by the Planet sometime and ask for me. I'll have my hairdressers give you any style you want."

"Oh, Lois, I can't do that."

"Sure you can," Lois assured. "We're all part of this one big superhero family. It would be my pleasure to have you down there and then we could go out for lunch while we're at it."

As the two women spoke, Wally came running down the hall and screeched to a stop. "I smell chocolate."

"No!" Lois ordered. "No chocolate for you right now."

"Oh, come on," Wally whined. "What did you make?"

"A large bowl of Oreo brownie layered dessert and it will not be touched until the party, understood?"

Lilith tried not to laugh as Lois made herself clear to the ginger. When she had first heard of Wally's appetite, she could not believe the stories the others told her, not even Kaldur. But seeing him eat in person, and his uncle, and Bart, and Barry's kids, and Isis, she prayed there was enough food on Earth to feed them all.

"Now get." Pointing away, Lois watched as Wally, thoroughly defeated, slouched and headed back down the hall.

"How do you do that?" Lilith asked.

"He knows not to mess with me," Lois answered. "And he's scared of his wife."

"Artemis?"

"Yup. She may not look it, but that woman has him on a tight leash."

As the two women laughed, none picked up on a certain strawberry blonde child run up to the bowl and snag a finger full of the chocolate dessert then dash back to her place on the floor.

(-)

On the roof of the tower, several of the Titans and back ops team decorated for the evening festivities. Only a few were present as missions came up, which had to be dealt with, leaving Superman, Supergirl, Nightwing, Terra, and Raven absent While Starfire was away on business to her home world of Tameran and others had to deal with last minute emergencies as the super and non-super powered criminals never took a rest. Still, Artemis, Wally, and an injured Courtney Whitmore, or Stargirl, decorated to make sure everything would be prepared when things were ready to begin.

Wires, lights, and the sound system was the first to be hooked up as Wally made quick work of them. His wife, Artemis and Cissie, or Arrowette, set up the tables as Mal and Karen went about setting up the decorations. Sitting at the sound booth, Courtney, with her ankle wrapped up, went over Dick's music selection, grimacing at nearly all of his choices.

"This fool is obsessed with electronica. And not the good kind." Pulling out a jump drive, the injured Stargirl plugged it into the laptop on the table and went over her music choices. "Hope I'm not as lame as he is when I'm old."

With the group busy decorating for the anniversary party, none noticed they were being spied upon from overhead. A glimmering form hovered as it watched the activities below, careful not to move too much as it would have been seen by a close observer.

"Is this it?" Ma'alefa'ak asked. "Are these your mighty friends?"

Floating in front of the evil Martian, Martian Manhunter gave a grunt as his body remained stiff. Like before, Ma'alefa'ak had his fingers in a needle-like form and had them embedded into the League member's spine. Complete control was his as were the powers he was lacking in.

"Where is the female?" Ma'alefa'ak asked.

Martian Manhunter only grunted.

"Where?"

Again, only a grunt was given.

"Useless worm."

Forcing the League member where he wanted, Ma'alefa'ak had him fly them both to the base of the tower. Staying in the shadowed area of the beach, Martian Manhunter was forced to allow him entrance through the hidden beach side entrance. Muting the computer for the time being, he gave Ma'alefa'ak permission to the tower, anywhere he wanted.

"Very smart using technology to reject density shifting, J'onn. But thank you for inviting me in regardless."

Using Martian Manhunter's telepathy, Ma'alefa'ak sensed the number of people within the tower. He knew the complete layout, every nook no cranny Martian Manhunter knew as well as the codes to grant him access to the more classified parts. He had free reign, and looked to make the most of it.

"Now, why don't you introduce me to your friends?" Ma'alefa'ak's eyes flashed red. "I'm sure they would love to meet me."

All Martian Manhuter could do was grunt, powerless and unable to so much as develop a cognitive thought.

(-)

Heading back to the tower, Mrs. Martian's Bioship streaked across the sky high above the Pacific Ocean in its camoflague mode. The three team members inside the cockpit relaxed after an early mission to Hawaii to aid in the capture of a new Meta powered villainess calling herself Knockout. While Mrs. Martian helped in keeping the populace away, both Wondergirl and Superboy went toe to toe with the super powered woman.

It was a longer fight than what was anticipated as the woman was able to fight each on nearly equal ground. It was only by double teaming her that Wondergirl was able to tie her up in her lasso and created an opening for Superboy to deliver the final blow. With a power dampening collar on her, there was only the need to wait for pick up by the League to take her to Belle Reve for study and detox as she was found to have been taking a new form of Bane's Venom power enhancer to add to her already incredible strength.

"Uh, I got bruises on my bruises," Wondergirl said as she rubbed her bicep. "Nearly crushed my arm when she stepped on me."

"At least she didn't bite you," Superboy told her with a visible mark on his neck.

"Looked like she was trying to give you a hickey to me."

Giving Cassie an annoyed look, Conner rolled his eyes and crossed his arms.

"If she did," M'gann muttered quietly as she began to take her ship down, "she would be a vegetable for the rest of her life."

Her comment went unnoticed by Cassie but not Conner who smirked at her words.

Descending from the sky, the Martian ship banked left as it drew closer to Jump City's harbor. Flying over the bridge connecting the two halves over the water, the near invisible aircraft slowed down the closer it got to Titan Island with the large 'T' shaped building growing larger with each passing second.

(-)

Trotting down the hall after re-entering the tower, Wolf made his way to the stairs to head for the main floor where the living area was when he picked up on something. His ears twitched as he sniffed the air. The scent was familiar yet different at the same time and grew stronger as he followed it to its origin close to the stairs. Dipping low, the large white animal bared its teeth and gave a growl as he entered a side storage room. It was a mistake on his part as he was thrown back out and slammed into the concrete wall, falling to the floor unconscious as Martian Manhunter stepped out of the room.

"Good puppet," Ma'alefa'ak sneered as he came into view. "Now, let us pay the others a visit."

Forcing his prisoner to fly, the two phased trough the floors and made their way to where the others within the tower were. The outside walls may block density shifting, but the interior ones did not, making moving from floor to floor simplistic.

(-)

"Okay, kiddies!" Kyle announced as the three kids of the original black ops team waited in the gym. "This here is a free for all war. You are all part of the Rebel Alliance and must take down the evil Imperial Stormtroopers to capture the base."

Pressing a few buttons on the main computer console, the teenage Lantern activated a 3D holographic training program set on a beach with kid friendly cover to hide behind with a barrack at the end of the large room.

"The Stormtroopers will be coming at you with everything they've got but you will not be unarmed."

Unzipping a duffle bag, Kyle waived the kids over. "I present to you your weapons."

Pulling out a blue and orange rifle, the young Lantern held it up to the gasping and excited kids. "Nerf guns."

"Cool!" Irey yelled. "I love Nerf!"

Taking the first rifle, the child speedster began to play around with it while the other two received their weapons. Carter was handed a smaller rifle similar to Irey and Lori was given a pistol as she was the smallest of the group.

"There's plenty of Nerf darts in the bag for you three, so go wild and take out those Stormtroopers!"

"I'm gonna kill the most." Irey declared.

"Huh uh, I am," Carter told her.

"I'm gonna!" Shouted Lori.

Pressing the start switch, Kyle had the battle simulation come to life. While the holograms looked real, none would hurt the children if struck. It was just a way to keep them busy for the time being while the older group has fun at Conner and M'gann's wedding anniversary.

Heading out of the gym to grab another bag of Nerf darts, the Titan's Lantern ran into a hurrying Garfield and almost ran right into him.

"Whoa, Gar, what is it?" Kyle asked.

"They're here," Garfield said. "Sis just called me and told me they're nearly at the tower."

"Then let's go."

"Are they going to be okay?"

Overhearing the three kids shout as they shot at the holographic representations of Stormtroopers, both boys looked at each other and knew they would be fine when a high pitched buzzing erupted in their heads.

(-)

Up on the roof of the tower, those decorating the space were struck with the same high pitched buzzing. With everyone grabbing their heads and wincing from the pain, no one was able to check on anyone. Artemis fell onto one of the tables she was getting ready, dragging the white table cloth down with her as she fell to the floor. Mal crashed onto the drink table, spilling the red punch over himself as Courtney fell out of her chair. Wally and Karen were the last to fall, having landing close to each other and passing out like the others.

(-)

"Irey?" Kneeling beside the passed out girl, Carter shook her but got no response. "Irey? Are you okay?"

With no answer from the strawberry blonde, Carter went over to and shook Lorena. "Lori? Wake up?"

Neither girl heeded him no matter what he did. "Sphere! Somebody! Help!"

Canceling the game, the gym went back to its training state as Sphere came online. She beeped several times over the intercom with a monitor displaying what she said.

" _Hide!"_

Seeing the word flash on the screen, Carter stood with his bottom lip quivering. His friends lay on the ground after letting out screams and gripping their heads. Now Sphere was telling him to hide without telling him what was going on. And to make matters worse, he could hear something coming down the hallway.

Facing the entrance to the gym, Carter heard a mechanical whining followed by a beeping. He knew from the sound that Sphere had unplugged herself from the Tower's computer system and was now active. A loud series of bursts made him jump and back up and it was only when he heard a loud crash near the entrance when he took off running across the gym floor and hid behind several weight racks, clutching his knees to his chest.

(-)

Circling the tower, the Bioship waited for the entrance to the hanger to open when her occupants saw the set up.

"What is that?" M'gann asked.

"Um, yeah," Cassie said. "We thought we would throw you two a party for your anniversary and well, surprise."

"Our anniversary isn't until tomorrow," Conner pointed out.

"Yeah, party today, celebrate tomorrow."

"Wait, what's that?" Switching to his infrared vision, Conner spotted several prone bodies on the roof.

"Enhance visual image, girl," M'gann told her ship.

Obeying her owner's request, the ship zoomed in on the rooftop. None could believe what they saw as the bodies of their friends lay motionless.

Opening a hole in the bottom of the ship, M'gann had it stop a few yards over the tower as she and the others flew out. It took no time for them to check on their friends. None were responsive and all had their eyes rolled back into their heads.

"What happened to all of them?" Cassie asked as she checked Courtney's pulse.

"Mal and Artemis are fine, but won't respond," Conner told the others.

"I, I can't get a read on their thoughts." With one hand on Karen's forehead and the other on hers, M'gann's eyes shimmered a bright green as she tried to get any mental readings she could. "They're alive, but..."

"But what?" Cassie asked.

"It's like a mind blast. Not one I know about, but it feels similar." Suddenly, M'gann's eyes went back to their light brown coloring and grew wide at the same time Conner's eyes widened as well.

" _Mommy! Daddy!"_

"Carter!" The parents yelled as they heard their son over their mental link.

Leaving the roof first, M'gann rushed to the roof entrance and quickly input her pass number. Cassie stayed with the downed team members as Conner ran after his wife, barely catching the door from closing as he pulled out his communicator for Sphere and she phased through the stairs to get to where their child was.

"Sphere, status!" Conner bellowed into the device.

The phone sized object displayed a blank screen with a blinking text icon. When the sentient machine did not answer, Conner requested her status again then pressed her emergency switch.

"Conner!"

Letting out a grunt, Conner leapt down the last flight of stairs and burst through the doors to the tower's main floor. There in pieces was Sphere, deep slash marks were in her panels with exposed wires lying on the floor amid puddles of her oil.

"Conner," M'gann said as her husband looked over the sentient machine he had bonded with.

Looking past the self-repairing machine, Conner saw Lois and Lilith lying on the floor. Both women were unconscious with a tray of snacks between them. Spilt goldfish crackers and juice boxes were scattered on the carpet along with Lois' camera.

"Go find Carter," Conner told M'gann.

Already down the hall, M'gann flew to where she felt her son at. Turning into the gym, she came across a number of scattered Nerf darts along with Kyle and Garfield. The teens were like the others, non-responsive with no mind readings for her to feel. Across the gym lay Isis and Lori with their Nerf guns still in their hands, but no sign on Carter.

"Carter!" M'gann cried as she mentally swept the room.

"M'gann."

Turing to face the middle of the gym floor, M'gann saw her uncle standing perfectly still. His eyes glowed brightly with a blank look on his face.

"Uncle J'onn?" M'gann asked. "What happened? What happened to everyone? To the kids? Where's Carter?"

Martian Manhunter only continued to stand without any movement.

"Mommy!" Carter called from across the room.

Looking over at her son, M'gann saw his face between the weight racks when an ear piercing screech shot out across the room. Caught off guard, she was flung backwards and landed on her back. The attack was strong enough to knock some of the wind out of her with no time to form a defense. Gasping for air, M'gann forced her eyes open and saw the face of Ma'alefa'ak as he wrapped a hand around her throat.

"The niece," Ma'alefa'ak said.

Raising his free hand, he formed his fingers into their needle-like form to impale into M'gann when he was struck in the side by a dumbbell. Turning with a hiss, Ma'alefa'ak saw Carter with another five pound weight floating into the air with the boy taking a throwing stance.

"Interesting." With his eyes glowing, Ma'alefa'ak sought to mentally attack the boy when he was tackled from the side and slid across the floor.

"M'gann." Checking on his wife, Conner received a mental answer to her condition before setting his sights back on the strange Martian.

"You must be the husband. Weak." Looking to attack Conner's mind to end the fight quickly, Ma'alefa'ak backed up with his eyes glowing when he was struck in the back by another weight. "Agh, you-"

With his attention divided, the monstrous looking Martian was struck in the jaw by Conner and stumbled back a few steps.

"Fool!" Countering another hit, Ma'alefa'ak caught Conner's wrist and threw him to the side where the Kryptonian landed on his face. Adding to the attack, he then mentally lifted Conner into the air and threw him into the stack of heavy weights and barbells, burying him under the metal.

Before Ma'alefa'ak could finish with Conner, M'gann wrapped her arms around his neck in a choke hold with her eyes glowing brightly. She was just about to attack his mind when she heard her uncle shout out a warning. The moment's hesitation was enough for Ma'alefa'ak to flip M'gann over and connect his fist with her temple, causing her to go limp.

Exploding from underneath the pile of workout equipment with a roar, Conner charged ahead with a fist cocked back. Flying across the gym, he was dead set on knocking the strange Martian's head off when he saw M'gann being held up by the neck.

"Stop!" Ma'alefa'ak ordered the Krypto-clone, to which Conner came to an abrupt stop and landed on the floor with his boots screeching under him.

"M'gann," Conner said under his breath. "Let her go!"

"You will yield," Ma'alefa'ak said with a pair of fingers wrapped tightly around M'gann's neck as he floated in the air with her. "You will yield, and stand down, clone."

"Let. Her. Go." If there was a deadlier tone than Conner's one would be hard pressed to find it.

"Mommy!" Carter said.

"Carter, stay back," Conner ordered.

"She dies. Unless you stand down. Do not follow. Do not attempt to get her back." Ma'alefa'ak then wrapped his other arm around her possessively. "She is no longer yours. She is mine!"

Backing up, Ma'alefa'ak made sure to keep M'gann between him and Conner at all times. His eyes remained locked on the Kryptonian whose own were radiating a reddish tint. He knew what Conner was capable of, having gained access to that information through J'onn's mind. As long as he kept the Martian woman between them and his feet off the floor, he had a chance at escaping.

Watching the Martian closely, Conner slowly advanced to keep a steady distance between the two. With a heat forming in front of his eyes, he was just waiting for an opportunity to fire his simulated heat vision at the snarling Martian when he saw a gleam of green light in the Martian's hand.

"Keep back." Holding his hand out, Ma'alefa'ak showcased a small piece of Kryptonite.

Stopping in his tracks, Conner instantly felt the effects of the small green rock. The familiar pain that came from its exposure coursed through his body, forcing him to take a few steps back as Ma'alefa'ak dropped it on the floor and continued to fly backwards.

Entering the hall, Ma'alefa'ak took a quick glance at the distance he had to cover to get to the living area where the two human females were. A straight shot then a hard right would put him at his destination then it was getting to the transporter he had ready to take him to Mars with a little surprise to keep from being followed.

Looking back at Conner as a grimace claimed his face, the Martian sneered, his sharp teeth glistening with saliva. In an instant, Ma'alefa'ak bolted down the hall, M'gann held tightly in his arms. He was only halfway to the living area when he heard an explosion and roar from the Kryptonian breaking through the wall to get around the Kryptonite and to catch up.

Taking the sharp turn into the living area, Ma'alefa'ak sped up, flying across the room and slamming his hand on the Zeta platform's control panel. The bright light illuminated the room with the announcement of Mrs. Martian and guest leaving the area, both vanishing in the white light a moment before Conner could get there.

Reaching for the panel, Conner activated the platform when he heard a loud beep. Thinking the worse, he flew back, grabbing Lois and Lilith who were just now coming to and shielded them with his body.

Nothing happened. No explosion, no implosion. Just a fizzling of electricity and a few pops from the control panel. Looking over at the platform, Conner saw a light trail of smoke coming from the machine as its electrical system was now fried.

With glowing red eyes and clinched teeth, Conner let out a deep growl.

Back in the gym, Carter came out of his hiding spot. Wanting to know what hand happened to his mother the strange monster took, the young boy ran into the hall, passing a stone from the beach where the Kryptonite was.


	7. Chapter 6

**AN: So very sorry for the long delay in getting this chapter up. Power surge, dead computer, dead Wi-Fi router, no TV, only my iPad worked but it can only use Wi-Fi so...had to buy lots of new stuff.**

 **Black' Victor Cachat - Not a problem with adding more to the kid's personalities. Actually you might want to re-read the part at the last of the chapter when Carter runs after Conner. Something's not quite right with what Ma'alefa'ak left behind. And third best? I got work to do.**

 **LetitFlow0992 - You know it. He's gonna pay.**

 **Eric - Well, I used the 'Throne of Atlantis' DVD about how Aquaman's mother was Atlantian and his father was human, so it is confirmed in the DC animated-verse that the two races could reproduce, so I just used that. And yeah, Kal can't talk to fish, so I was thinking it may have skipped a few generations to include it for Lori. And also, there's more to Ma'alafa'ak's powers than meets the eye. And I lol'd at the Taken reference you included.**

6.

Titan Tower:

It was torture for Conner. Seeing his wife unconscious in the arms of that alien without a way to stop him. His TTK was useless as the extraterrestrial had to be touching the ground for Conner to have him freeze in place and with M'gann placed between them, he could not chance using his heat vision for fear of hurting her.

With everyone recovering from being knocked out, the tower was on lockdown with the group in the medical room. Everyone checked out fine with minor bumps from falling except for Wolf who's enhanced DNA kept him from being injured but he was just as healthy as could be.

Currently, Blue Beetle had his scarab run diagnostics throughout the tower's computer system with everything checking out. Not a thing was wrong or tampered with, which was backed up by J'onn describing he was being forced to allow the alien entry. Security footage captured very little of what had transpired with only the initial entry being recorded up until J'onn and the alien entered one of the computer rooms. There was still the rest of the tower to investigate with the gym and Zeta platform needed to be scanned as well, although the latter was pretty much fried and needed to be completely replaced.

"So what happened again?" Artemis asked as she sat on a gurney. Her neck was slightly moist and cool from the ice pack she had on it.

"Already told you," Conner told her. He was already in another of his moods from not being able to go after his wife. The original team knew all about how to go about dealing with him, but knew when he was like this, he only had a one track mind and would not let up until whatever was bothering him was fixed, in this case, getting M'gann back.

"Dude, Supey, you need to calm dow-" Wally tried to say when he was cut off.

"You wouldn't be calm if it were Artemis!"

"True, but, I would know I would have to keep a level head for my kid's sake."

Clinching his fists hard enough to pop his knuckles, Conner took a deep breath and knew Wally was right. Glancing at the speedster, he let out a huff and left the medical room, passing Wolf who was standing beside a self-repairing Sphere. Her wires were back in place and she had stopped 'bleeding', but her outer shell was still coming back together. It would not be long before she was back to one hundred percent.

Watching the Kryptonian leave, J'onn closed his eyes and let out a deep breath. His head was nearly clear with the disappearance of Ma'alefa'ak with his body healing from being hijacked like it was. It was as if he were in the middle of a fog filled land devoid of any and all life where he could barely see his own hand. His movements were sluggish with the feeling of being confined yet free at the same time with visions of what his captor was doing flashing within his mind. With the mental fog clearing enough to think, J'onn knew there was only one thing to do at this point.

(-)

Down the hallway where the other rooms were, Lois sat on the crying Carter's bed and comforted him. The other kids, Irey and Lori, were with their parents in the medical room as they were looked over for any injuries and recovered from what happened. Given their younger minds, they were monitored closely from the mental attack by the intruder.

"It's okay, sweetheart," the reporter told her nephew. "Mommy will be fine."

Carter cuddled up beside Lois, holding onto her blouse as her arm wrapped around his shoulders. Walking in on them, Conner saw his son gripping onto her and felt a pang of guilt. Clinching his fists, he swallowed the lump in his throat then took a deep breath, he could hear him crying from the medical room where he was not only checking in on the others, but contacting the available members of the League and black ops teams. With the Zeta platform down, no one would be able to get to the tower any time soon, and Boom Tube tech recovered from the Darkseid invasion was used in extreme emergencies as it would cause concern for the public, alerting them to a potential emergency the League wanted to avoid unless absolutely necessary. This was something they wanted to keep quiet for the time being.

"Hey, Carter," Conner said as he entered his son's room.

"Daddy!"

Jumping off the bed, the young boy ran up his father and grabbed hold of his legs. For such a young boy, his Kryptonian strength was already showing itself by how tight his arms were around his father's thigh. A normal person would most likely have a fractured femur if not a broken one, but given Conner's inherited strength, all he felt was the equivalent pressure of a normal adult being hugged by a normal child.

Picking his son up, Conner hugged him tight as he continued to cry. Carter was not one to do such a thing, he was always happy and had only cried when he was an infant like all the other newborns. Seeing him like this hurt Conner, especially since he could not have prevented or immediately solve the problem to have his son happy again.

"It's okay," Conner gently said.

"I want mommy!" Carter cried.

"I know. I-"

 _"Conner, please meet me in the hanger as soon as you can."_

Hearing J'onn's voice in his head, Conner looked at his crying son. Taking a knee, he sat the boy down and gave him a hug. "Look, I'll be right back. I'm going after your mother and bringing her home."

"Dad?"

"I promise."

Standing, Conner turned to leave the room when Lois grabbed his arm and turned him around. "Hey, Conner, what was that?"

"What was what?" Conner asked.

"Your son needs you right now."

"I know."

"Look at him. He's crying his eyes out, scared from what happened, and you're not comforting him."

"Lois, I need to get M'gann back. He needs both of us. Remember when I almost didn't make it back when he was born?"

"But with M'gann gone, he needs his father."

"I know, but what else am I supposed to do?"

Looking at his son, Conner felt his anger drain. The boy was sitting on the bed with a stuffed dinosaur clutched to his chest. It was a toy his mother helped him get when they went to one of those kid friendly restaurants with the animatronic animals as a family. She had helped him win enough tickets playing the game where they had to shoot the clown's teeth out as Conner watched and took pictures at his wife's request.

Rubbing the back of his head, Conner let out a sigh. "Carter, I'll be back. You stay here."

"Conner," Lois called, only to be ignored. "What are you doing," she whispered.

Turning back, Lois was fixing to say something more to Carter when she saw an empty bed. "Carter?"

(-)

Entering the hanger, Conner saw J'onn standing beside the Bioship. He had a pale shade to his skin and was clutching his side where the Martian had stabbed his fingers into him. Not quite at one hundred percent, J'onn still stood tall, a testament to his pride and League status.

"You wanted me?" Conner asked.

"We need to move fast," J'onn told him. "I know what Ma'alefa'ak wants to do-"

"Who?"

"Ma'alefa'ak. That is the name of the Martian that has taken M'gann. I will explain once we are on our way."

"What does he want to do with her?" Conner angrily asked.

"This goes back around eighty years ago, but he wants a queen to rule Mars." J'onn explained. "He has discovered her abilities and wishes to make her rule by his side. He is a very dangerous foe and will stop at nothing to obtain what he desires. Power."

"Then let's get to the nearest Zeta Tube and-"

"I am afraid that will not work. He has destroyed the Zeta platform on Mars. He may have had control of me, but I still can remember what he has made me do and that includes sabotage the platform on Mars."

"Then Boom Tube-"

"He will know we are there. We must take the Bioship and Boom Tube close to Mars, not on it. If he knew when and where we arrive on the planet, we will be at his mercy."

"Then let"s go!" Moving past J'onn, Conner headed into the Bioship when the Martian stopped him.

"Conner, Ma'alefa'ak is not like any opponent you have faced before. He is a Martian, capable of striking you down with a single thought. I can aid in planting a mental block in your mind, but he is incredibly powerful, which is why I do not want the League to join us as they will surely perish. Knowing this, do you still wish to-"

"Will you hurry up?" Conner told him. "We need to go!"

Watching the Kryptonian disappear into the red ship, J'onn smiled slightly. Knowing Conner cared that much for his niece was more than he wanted for her. He knew her life was hard and was not meant to be lived on the red planet like it was, so Earth was the best place for her. Meeting the young man she had only assured that for him and it made him happy to see his niece receive the life she, and he, had always wanted for her.

Following Conner, J'onn only made it half way up the rear ramp of the ship when he paused for a moment. Glancing behind him, he looked over the hanger and only saw the crates and machinery in the darkness. As the overhead doors began to open, the Martian turned back and entered the ship.

Already at the controls, Conner passed his hands over the glowing orbs at the sides of the pilot's chair. In only a few seconds the hanger doors would open fully to allow the alien craft to lift off into the sky. As Conner prepared the craft for takeoff, J'onn sat at the front of the cockpit area. His side, back, and head still ached from what Ma'alefa'ak did to him with residual memories from what the villainous Martian did while he was under his control. Those memories were like a living nightmare he could not let go of as he was used against his will to achieve that which Ma'alefa'ak wanted and was forced to play a part in his plan for escape. And now there was M'gann being involved, something that should not have happened in the first place, just like how he underestimated the powers of Ma'alefa'ak for all these years.

"Come on, close the hatch," Conner muttered as he passed is hand over the right orb again.

A slight 'whirring' sound came from the ship a moment before the rear hatch slid shut and the sun rays from the evening sky filtered in as the hanger doors opened overhead.

As the ship angled upwards, Lois ran into the hanger shouting Conner's name. She was too late as the craft had taken off for the orange/purplish sky overhead. Her hair fluttered in the breeze as she stared after the vessel with the hanger doors closing, leaving her in the large room alone.

"Did you catch them?" Joining her, a just arrived Jaime Ryes de-armored from his Beetle armor.

"No," Lois answered, "I got here too late. And now Carter's missing."

"So Conner doesn't know there was no Kryptonite in the gym?"

"No." Holding the stone Jaime had given her, Lois looked it over. It was just a simple stone from the beach, nothing special at all about it.

"Why do you think Conner thought it was Kryptonite?" Jaime asked.

"Don't know. But we have bigger problems, kid. We have to find Carter."


	8. Chapter 7

**AN: Black' Victor Cachat- No, Raven's still working with her teleportation technique at this point. I'm thinking the way I have developed her powers time wise, she would be able to perform teleportations into the city and maybe to places she has already been. I haven't decided how stronger she has become by this point.**

 **.alverez- Yes. There is a story I was going to post before this one but ran into a block around halfway through. I'll work on that one after this while writing my next YJ fic for the overall story arc I have planned.**

 **x- andaroseforthelady -x- Glad you like the story and the kiddos. I have big plans for them and the team later on.**

 **LetItFlow0992- Not too hard to solve the latter at all.**

7.

Mars:

With the Zeta platform destroyed, Ma'alefa'ak turned away from the smoking transporter and looked down at the unconscious M'gann. A large bruise had formed on the side of her face around her temple from where she had been struck moments ago. Gathered around them were several soldiers armed with energy spears and rifles along with two females from the medical group of the Capitol. All stood at full attention and waited for Ma'alefa'ak's orders.

"Take the female to the holding cell I was forced to spend my prime in for the time being," Ma'alefa'ak commanded. "Keep her sedated with an inhibitor on her. Make sure none interfere with my plans and keep those yet to succumb to my will ignorant of what is going on."

Moving forward, the two green skinned Martian females brought a large cylindrical container with them and parked it beside the unconscious M'gann. The machine split open with its top half folding up to reveal a soft bedding in the bottom half. Outside the machine were monitors of every sort to make sure the occupant was cared for highly.

Carefully, the medics mentally lifted M'gann up and placed her within the machine. Once she was settled in, thin tubes snaked out of the sides of the container and attached themselves to her head, arms, chest, and legs. Feedback was instantaneous as the readings of her body were shown on the monitors. Everything came back strong, much to the satisfaction of Ma'alefa'ak who watched as the medics acknowledged him with a nod.

"So I take it everything went smoothly?" Stepping forward, the liaison, Cy'an, crossed her arms and stood with a menacing smile.

"It was all too easy, my dear." Descending from the platform's steps. Ma'alefa'ak gently ran the back of his hand on her cheek. "Have you taken care of all I have asked?"

"Yes, my love. I have fifty high ranking soldiers under your command, each one mind wiped to serve only you. The Martian Council will not be a hindrance as I have personally seen to their end. No one will expect anything is wrong for some time. We are free to make Mars as we see fit with the niece of J'onnz power as my own."

Snaking his hand to the back of her head, Ma'alefa'ak gave Cy'an an aggressive kiss. It was one loaded with pure lust that made the Martian woman melt. "Take the soldiers and carry out what I have told you. Make sure none from that pathetic blue planet come for her."

Leaving Cy'an, Ma'alefa'ak marched forward, forming his needle-like appendages and embedding them into one of the soldiers.

"And what if they do?" Cy'an asked.

"Then take their lives." Using the solder, Ma'alefa'ak turned him and himself near invisible and took flight, phasing through the capitol's ceiling with the medics and cylinder close behind.

Watching the Martian disappear, Cy'an gave a sigh. She snaked her tongue over her lips, enjoying the residual taste of Ma'alefa'ak. "As you wish, my love."

(-)

Bioship:

Jetting past Watchtower while largely ignoring hails from Green Arrow who was on watch duty for the time being, Conner set the ship on course for Mars with its auto pilot. Normally it would take a day for the alien ship to travel from the Earth to the red planet, but through the use of the Boom Tube technology, all they had to do was get beyond Watchtower far enough for safety measures concerning the station and the living ship then the trip would be almost instantaneous.

"The Boom Tube will open in a few seconds," Conner said as he went over the control orbs situated to the sides of the pilot's chair. "We're almost to the safe zone to activate it outside of the tower's Zeta signals. No interference. Then we'll arrive just outside Mars' orbit in stealth mode and make our way planet side to find this Malafic or whatever his name is."

Turning in is seat, J'onn saw a look of angered determination on Conner's face. The half clone of Superman had is hands and fingers fly over the control orbs and sensed a fury building up in him he had not felt since the last time his family was in any danger.

"Conner," J'onn said from his seat, "I want you to wait to make the jump through the Boom Tube."

"What?"

"I want you to wait for a moment before we make the jump to Mars."

"We can't. M'gann-"

"Will need you alive when we fight Ma'alefa'ak."

"We'll deal with that on Mars."

"CONNER!" J'onn angrily shouted

Letting out a pained sigh, J'onn stood. "I have told you once before, Ma'alefa'ak is not like any foe you have faced! He will kill you with a single thought, a painful prolonged death that will seem like an eternity!"

Not word was said as Conner stared at the Martian League member. After all this time, he had never heard him use so much emotion in his voice as he was angrily yelled at.

"It is a pain which cannot be described," J'onn continued, "as if every fiber of your being is burning." He let out a long breath. "I have seen it before. The last time I faced him, Ma'alefa'ak left a trail of death in his wake. Those exposed to his power suffered tremendously until death took them. If you want to save M'gann, if you want to have a chance at defeating Ma'alefa'ak, then grant me a few minutes to prepare your mind for the battle ahead."

Relenting with a sigh after a few moments, Conner eased back on the controls to the Bioship and halted the opening of the Boom Tube. "What do I have to-ugh?"

Shooting a look to the side hall leading to the cargo area, Conner gave a growl with J'onn sighing and shaking his head. "Carter."

Getting up, Conner left his Martian comrade and stomped off toward the rear of the ship. Entering the large supply hold, the Krypto-human zeroed in on an oddly formed half wall in the corner of the bay. Even if there were things to hide behind, he would have found his hiding son quickly through their shared mental link as well as his infrared vision and something else his TTK provided where he could tell where someone is simply by having contact with a surface if he concentrated hard enough.

"Carter, get out here," Conner ordered.

When the child did not do as he was told, Conner added a 'NOW' to the order. His gruff voice combined with the word was enough to make anyone do as he commanded.

Peeking around the corner of his half wall, Carter slowly made his way into view. He hovered a few inches off the ground, knowing his father could locate him through his TTK and gently set his feet on the floor. His head was sunk between his shoulders and faced downward, avoiding his father's gaze as he twiddled his fingers.

"What are you doing here?" demanded Conner. When his son did not answer, he said his name to draw a response out of him. "Carter."

"I, I just want to get mommy with you," the child answered.

"You're supposed to have stayed in your room like I told you."

"But you said you were getting mom and then left!"

"Carter-"

"I want mom!"

"Carter-"

"I want mom!"

"Carter!"

"I WANT MOM, I WANT MOM, I WANT MY MOMMY!"

Wincing from the boy's high pitched shriek, Conner watched as his son broke down and began to cry. His legs were immediately wrapped in the child's arms as Carter rushed to him and gripped onto his father tightly. Had it not have been for Conner's super strength, the boy's hold would have done some damage.

Prying his son away for a moment, Conner bent down and picked him up, hugging the crying child to comfort him. Guilt came over the elder Kryptonian as he thought about how he just up and left his son in order to retrieve his kidnapped wife as quickly as possible. Even after all these years, he was still run mostly by his emotions and rash actions.

"I'm sorry," Conner told his son.

 _"Conner,"_ J'onn said telepathically, _"Do you need any help with Carter?"_

 _"Give us a few minutes,"_ Conner replied. _"Just keep the ship on auto pilot until we're done back here."_

 _"Understood."_

Tightening his hold on his crying son, Conner rubbed his back while letting the boy continue to shed his tears. It was not until a few moments passed, unmeasured by Conner, when he sat down against a wall and held Carter on his lap with the boy keeping his arms wrapped around his neck. The outright crying had turned to sobs but Conner still held onto his son tight.

"We'll get her back," Conner said after a lengthy silence. "You're Uncle J'onn and I will get her back. Everything will be alright. You don't have to worry."

Sniffling, Carter looked up at his father. "You promise?"

"I promise."

"Cross your heart?"

"And hope to die."

Burying his face into his father's neck, Carter let out another sob.

"Hey, I told you, it'll all be okay," Conner told him. When he saw his words had little, if any effect, he adjusted Carter to a sitting position on his thigh. "Have I told you what happened when you were born?"

Shaking his head, Carter rubbed his eyes with closed fists.

"When you were born, I had just gotten back from a fight with a few criminals from the Phantom Zone, remember when I told you that?"

Carter nodded.

"When I got back to Watchtower, you were just being born and when I first saw you, when I first held you, I told your mother I would do anything for you. I told her I would protect you, give you everything you need, and always be there for you. She told me the same thing. We would make sure you were always safe and loved."

Adjusting Carter on his lap so he could sit with his legs crossed, Conner continued. "You were still an infant when we thought we lost you. You were taken from us and we did everything we could to get you back. We fought for you and always will to keep you safe and happy. Your mom fights for you and me. I fight for you and her. Now as for whoever this Mali, Malifik, Malifack, whatever his name is, I will find him and make him pay for taking M'gann and making you cry like that. I promise I will get your mother back."

Reaching out, Carter hugged his father again and felt Conner's larger arms wrap around him. "You promise?"

"Yeah," Conner said as he rubbed his son's back. "Yeah, I promise."

"I love you, dad."

"I love you too, son."

With Carter calmed down, Conner made his way back to the front of the Bioship a few moments later. J'onn sat in the pilot's chair with the craft ready to make the jump through the Boom Tube once his nephew-in-law had given the go ahead. With father and son sitting at the front of the cockpit, Conner gave J'onn a nod and within a few seconds, a Boom Tube portal formed in front of the ship, swallowing them and transporting the small group to the red planet.

In what seemed like a second's worth of travel time, the Bioship appeared from the Boom Tube formed hundreds of miles from Mars. Banking to the left of the planet, the red ship stayed just outside its orbit as it slowed and came to a stop while staying in its camouflage/stealth mode to avoid detection.

"Why are you stopping?" Conner asked. "Let's get down there and-"

"-Find mom!" Carter broke in.

"You're staying with your grandmother and grandfather," Conner told his son.

"But-"

"No buts. You're not even supposed to be here and I won't have you in the middle of this when we get your mother."

"Ugh, dad!"

"Carter," J'onn told the boy, "listen to your father. This is too dangerous for you. We will drop you off at your grandparent's house and get M'gann back. But before we go planet-side, I must ask you, Conner, to stay seated as I place a mental block in your head. I will do what I can to make sure you are protected from Ma'alefa'ak. As I have told you, he is a powerful foe and will not hesitate to kill you on the spot."

"Just make it quick," Conner told him.

Standing, J'onn had his eyes glow brightly as he drew close to the Kryptonian and placed his hands on his temples. "This is not like any mental block you may have had before. This will take a few minutes and will cause a slight pain."

Looking up at J'onn with determined eyes, Conner let out a breath. "Just do it."


	9. Chapter 8

8.

Waking up with a headache, M'gann groaned as she placed a hand on her forehead. A bright light blinded her, making her squint her eyes as she tried to get a bead on her surroundings. Her hearing was muffled as well, leaving any sound around her questionable despite trying to focus for several minutes when she noticed her own Martian abilities, abilities that were second nature to her, were non-responsive. Nothing came through the attempted outreach of her telepathy, which felt cancelled out like when she was forced to wear an inhibitor collar years ago when taken captive by Black Manta. Then her other senses kicked in.

Feeling something messing with her feet, M'gann blinked several times to force her eyes to focus and saw a Martian woman giving her a pedicure. Next to the Martian was a metal cart loaded with equipment for various spa-like treatments, confusing the captured heroine as she attempted to get her head to stop pounding. It would be easier if it were not for the smell of perfume filling the air.

"Wha, what are you-" Stopping mid-sentence, M'gann felt a hand rest on her shoulder.

"Do not worry," the Martian women said. "I am nearly finished. He likes the Earthling look."

Moving away from the woman, M'gann looked around and saw another Martin female standing a few feet away with a glowing neon blue wall behind her. From what she could tell, the room she and the other three occupied resembled a holding cell of some sort. Only the basic necessities were provided like the ones the League used in their bases.

Feeling something heavy, she reached up to her neck and felt a metal collar. With her other hand joining the first, she quickly scooted back and focused on the object.

"It is no use," the Martian female beside her said. "The collar prevents you from using your abilities and cannot come off without the proper-"

"Where am I?" M'gann asked.

"You are home," the female giving her the pedicure sweetly told her.

"And you are beautiful." Holding up a mirror, the first of the three let M'gann see herself.

Staring back at her, M'gann saw herself wrapped in a pure white dress starting just past her bust line and ending mid-calf. Her skin was its original white color with her eyes a bright red and auburn hair tied back in a tight ponytail hanging down to her waist.

Giving a gasp, she touched her face, it was not like the one she had chosen when she first went to Earth. And as she looked her body over, she saw it was defiantly not like the form she chose after carefully creating it.

"Wha, what did, why do I-"

"It is what he prefers," another Martian female said.

Not believing what she was looking at, M'gann stood and looked her new body over. Her legs were longer and more shapely with thicker thighs and wider hips while her rear was more plump to compliment her new shape. Her torso was more of an hourglass figure with a slender waist and a much larger bosom with her arms slender. Even her freckles were gone, except for her hair coloring, everything on the human shape she had chosen was remade.

"What did you do to me?!" M'gann demanded.

"You have been chosen," one of the females told her.

"You will be our queen," another one said.

"And please our king," the third added.

"How did-"

"We only live to serve him." A female said.

"As you will come to do," the third explained.

"I don't think so," M'gann said as she stood and held onto her collar. "Take this off of me!"

"That we cannot do. You have been chosen by Ma'alefa'ak to be our queen. He has chosen this shape as it pleases him," said the first female.

"You must be desirable, possessing such beauty all other beings pale in comparison for you are now his, his bride, his queen, his property." Stepping forward, the first of the females had her eyes shimmer. "Now, you need to relax as I have your biosuit morph to what he has chosen."

Stepping back, M'gann clinched her fists. "I am no one's property. Tell this Ma'alefa'ak I am married and not his."

"We cannot do that. You have been chosen and your power will be his."

Before the first Martian woman could take another step, M'gann struck first, landing a hard left to her jaw. The second Martian female received a spinning reverse roundhouse kick to her neck, forcing her to slam into the cart of supplies.

"You must cease!" The last female ordered. "He will not be happy!"

Landing a right hook to the female's face, M'gann spun her around and brought her to her knees with a choke hold locked in. "Where am I? Deactivate the collar and the wall."

Gasping for air, the last of the females tried to get free when the blue wall deactivated and a slow clapping began. "Impressive."

Looking up, M'gann saw another female Martian coming towards her, Cy'an. This one was dressed completely different than the other three, Where they all wore white outfits reminiscent of togas, this new one wore something akin to a red slingshot bikini with the front forming a large 'Y' to cover her up.

"So you are J'onn's niece," the new female Martian said. "Not as beautiful as I was led to believe, but that is not what I am interested in."

"Where am I?" M'gann asked again.

"You are on Mars, my little lamb. In the old cell of the future ruler of our kind."

"What do you want with me?" M'gann's grip never left the female's neck.

"You're power. My love, Ma'alefa'ak has promised to grant me your abilities, your rawness to use as my own and join him at his side as his queen."

"Queen? That's what they said I would be."

"Impossible. You are nothing more than a pawn to gain what is rightfully his, and mine."

"Look, I don't know you, I don't know this Ma'alefa'ak, but I am not staying here."

"You cannot go anywhere, M'gann," Cy'an told her. "The only way out is through density shifting and you still have the dampening collar on. You are at our mercy so release the slave and await your fate."

Narrowing her eyes, M'gann stared at the new Martian woman. Seeing there was no entrance behind her, or even a window, made her hopes of finding a way out all but disappear. There had to be someway of deactivating her collar, to get her powers back so she could get out and alert her husband and team of her whereabouts. But only one individual stood in her way, leaving her on the short end of the stick when it came to any probabilities of getting away.

"Tell this Ma'alefa'ak to find some other queen. I have a family to get back to and not him or you will keep me from getting back to them."

Rising the captured Martian female to her feet, M'gann kicked her forward at Cy'an as a distraction. Using what she caused, she rushed forward, fully intent on knocking the new Martian out with a well-placed shot when she was forced to stop in her tracks.

Before M'gann could close the gap by more than a foot, Cy'an flew forward and phased through her captive, stunning M'gann for a moment before forming behind her. Grabbing onto M'gann's long ponytail Cy'an drug her down, slamming the married Martian's head onto the rocky floor for the knockout.

"Pathetic," Cy'an said. "To think you stood a chance against a pure Green Martian is an embarrassment. Even those we control would not have dared retaliated against us, not that they could."

Kneeling down, she turned M'gan's face left and right as if studying her carefully. "You are weak. Ma'alefa'ak is mine and I will be his queen. Your powers will be mine and our curse will guarantee our place as Mars' rulers."

Placing her hands on the sides of M'gann's temples, Cy'an had her eyes glow as she began to probe her mind. "Now let's just see what I will claim as mine."

Entering M'gann's mind, Cy'an felt as if she were flying through a swirling blue tunnel with a white light some distance at the end. Upon entering its brightness, the Martin female felt an overwhelming sense of happiness and love, one she had not known existed. Seeing through M'gann's eyes, she saw her parents, Green Martians providing her with a love only they could give her. Sisters and brothers, many of them, happily played around her while a familiar face, J'onn J'onnz, showed her the same as the entire family stayed close and protected her as the sole White Martian among them. It was strange since they were always seen as less than the Green or Red populace.

A dark area was present, one she tried to ignore as it was in the back of M'gann's mind. It was her bad childhood memories, memories when she was picked on, abused, ridiculed by others who did not share the same skin tone as her. Feeling only a momentary part of those times, Cy'an continued on, not understanding why such painful memories were locked away and not at the forefront of M'gann's mind. Memories like that could be used to fuel her anger, giving her more power than simply using her abilities normally.

The next feeling Cy'an received were ones of adventure from leaving Mars and arriving on another planet. Those were soon followed by hope; the hope M'gann felt when she learned of having the potential of meeting others her relative Martian age. Nervousness followed as she carefully perfected her human form to blend in and something else Cy'an could only identify as love when a dark headed Earthling was introduced to her.

Curious at who this was, and how the feeling M'gann experienced upon first sight of him was how Cy'an could describe how she felt after long meetings with Ma'alefa'ak, she dug deeper into the unconscious woman's psyche. Friendship with those who would make up a team of heroes, acceptance from befriending actual Earthlings at the place called 'school', and something else Cy'an could not explain when M'gann received her feelings back from this dark haired Earthling. It was more than love, it was beyond words.

This new feeling surrounded Cy'an like nothing she could describe. It was permanent and deeply ingrained into M'gann's mind, so much so that fear of losing it, or rather him, was always barely noticeable until an unbelievable pain hit the Martian mind invader. It felt as if her chest were ripped into and voided of all contents with a continuing hurt that only grew worse with time. It hurt Cy'an like nothing ever had. It was so painful when M'gann lost the Earthling, it forced her to break the mental connection she had.

Falling to a sitting position, Cy'an stared at the motionless M'gann. She had never known pain like that before, never knew something like that was possible. Looking at the floored Martian's left hand, she could barely see the Martian wedding ring on her finger.

"But, you lost him," Cy'an muttered. "How, how did you get him back?"

Nervously, and carefully, Cy'an reached out and placed her finger tips to M'gann's forehead. Entering her mind again, she felt the pain M'gann experienced when she lost the one she loved. It was ongoing, leaving her hollow to the point where it felt as if she were braking. And then that feeling came back when the Earthling accepted her again. Apologies were seen as weak, forgiveness was seen as weak. This is what Cy'an believed and what Ma'alefa'ak preached and yet, both M'gann and the Earthling did those things. And then the feeling of deeply ingrained love M'gann felt became stronger beyond what Cy'an thought possible.

Ending the connection, Cy'an stared down at M'gann. A tear ran down her face at what she felt in her mind. It was beautiful. "You, you could have controlled him. You could have made him yours forever but you did not. He made the choice. You have everything you want. The Earthling, a child. Impossible as it may seem, you have a child with him. You could have always controlled the man but refused to. Why?"

"Cy'an."

Turning, Cy'an saw Ma'alefa'ak standing behind her with three mind controlled guards.

"Ma'alefa'ak," Cy'an said as she stood.

"Is J'onn's niece ready?"

"Yes she is, my love. There was a disturbance but it is all under control." Cy'an then looked down at M'gann. "She is extremely powerful. I cannot wait to have her abilities as my own."

"And you will, Cy'an." Looking at the unconscious females around the cell, Ma'alefa'ak telekinetically moved them aside, albeit roughly. "Have another of my female servants augment M'gann's attire to what I have selected and bring her to the mountain I have chosen."

"And there is where you will transfer her abilities to me?" Cy'an asked.

"Just do as I say. We must move quickly if we are to have everything we want."

Nodding, Cy'an watched as Ma'alefa'ak inserted his needle-like fingers in one of the guards to phase through the wall. Once he and the others were gone, she then turned back to M'gann. She was envious at what she had experienced firsthand and wanted that feeling as her own.

Standing in the quiet cell, Cy'an drooped her head. She had been in love with Ma'alefa'ak since being allowed to interrogate him. He had to feel the same about her, she was sure of it. Why else would he tell her he would make her his queen?


	10. Chapter 9

**AN: Eric - I suggest imagining M'gann's evil counterpart from the comics with much larger breasts and a bubble butt with wider hips. I wanted Mally-Mal to want a more bimbolish look for her, which is the exact opposite of her human form as it's what he prefers. He is evil after all and what better way to show who's in control than to force her into a shape she doesn't like.**

9.

Staying low to the ground, the Bioship sailed across the dry soil of Mars. Only a few meters separated the bottom of the hull from the land to avoid the potential for Martian radar and the occasional sky observer. Cloaked to match its surroundings, the flying vessel made close to no sound as it closed in on its destination.

Guided by J'onn, Conner flew his wife's ship to the hidden prison cell designed to specifically hold Ma'alefa'ak. It was quite a ways from the nearest populated area for safety reasons with only the highest and most trusted individuals knowing where it was and who it housed, as least to J'onn's knowledge.

All was quiet inside the ship's cockpit as Conner flew and J'onn navigated. Both, unaware what the other was thinking at the moment as the link between them was down, thought of the challenge ahead of them as well as the last half hour they had been traveling.

It had taken nearly five minutes for J'onn to place the necessary mental blocks within Conner's mind to protect him from any mental attacks from not only Ma'alefa'ak, but from any Martians working for him. It was as if the world's strongest migraine had chosen to team up with a jackhammer to inflict as much pain on Conner's mind as possible. After what felt like hours having the necessary mental blocks put in place, the next stop was M'gann's parent's house.

Talking Carter into staying at his grandparents was a chore in itself. His only want was to get to his mother and nothing else. Martians are known to be very attached to family and Kryptonians are known to be hard headed, Carter was both, something Conner had a hard time convincing while J'onn had a hard time hiding his amusement as father and son were so much alike.

From there it was a quick trip to J'onn's Martian abode where he had something specially made for Conner given his unique Kerptonian/human heritage. He had hoped it would not be of use as it was meant for journeying into the least terraformed places of the red planet and was designed for military use.

What started out as a Martian Biosuit, it was retrofitted to adhere to a human's physiological needs based on the Cadmus suit Conner wore. While not as strong as the Kryptonian cloth Conner's mission shirts and Superman's suit was comprised of, it was made to withstand the difference in atmosphere Mars was known for and regulated its wearer's bodily functions. It also healed itself like a traditional one piece Martian Biosuit and had a near invisible skin tight apparatus for the head to aid in breathing for the reduced amount of oxygen present on the planet.

Since it was tailor made for his nephew-in-law, J'onn made sure to keep Conner's traditional color scheme of black and red where black was the overall color. Red piping formed an electrical circuit-like pattern with the shield pattern covering the shoulders, a neck guard, and was complete with the 'S' shield symbol over the chest. It even aided in the absorbing of solar energy given how far Mars was from the sun.

"So how large is this prison you had Mal-something in?" Keeping the ship at a steady speed, Conner had her scan the area for any potential threats.

"It was small," J'onn answered, "barely the size of a small bedroom with only the essentials in there with him. The rest of the structure was only large enough for a team of guards, a monitor system, and at times, an interrogator."

"And you're sure you can pick up on his residual stuff, right?"

"Residual mental print, all Martians leave one behind. It will not take long to-"

Before J'onn could finish, the alarm of the Bioship sounded with a red reticle coming on screen. Zooming in, Conner could identify several forms flying together with one of them looking very similar to Ma'alefa'ak.

"Is that?" Conner asked.

"It is," J'onn confirmed. "That is where his cell was hidden. And that has to be him."

With the confirmation of Ma'alefa'ak's presence, Conner had the ship shoot forward, knocking J'onn off his feet as he let out a growl.

(-)

Since exiting the hidden prison, Ma'alefa'ak and his guards prepared to carry out the next phase of the Martian criminal's plan, albeit against the will of the mind controlled soldiers at his side.

Lifting his head, one of the soldiers was alerted to a disturbance in the area behind the four. Stopping, he turned and looked closely to where another Martian soldier had detected an anomaly and saw the tell-tell sign of a camouflaged Bioship. "Sir," he said to Ma'alefa'ak.

Looking where the soldier was pointing Ma'alefa'ak saw the same ripple flying along the ground. Sneering, he let out a growl. "You two, keep him busy. That has to be J'onn coming to save his niece."

Taking the last guard, the one he personally controlled, Ma'alefa'ak flew off in his original direction while the other soldiers did as he commanded.

(-)

"Conner," J'onn said as he got back to his feet. "We need Ma'alefa'ak alive if we are to locate M'gann."

Growling, Conner had the ship's weapons lock onto Ma'alefa'ak and prepared to fire. "Then I'll stun him."

"Conner!"

With his sights set on the Martian, Conner was just about to fire when several red streams of energy came at them. Each one barely missed the ship as its pilot quickly dodged each one of the glowing streams. Buzzing the ship, the two soldiers took swipes at it with their spears. Long burn marks scarred the living vessel as they flew past and began firing from behind.

"What are those?!" Conner shouted.

"Standard for the Martian Military," J'onn answered. "They fire beams of intense energy heated to damage any Martian vehicle or kill any enemy."

Feeling the ship jolt from being hit, Conner maneuvered the craft to avoid being struck anymore while J'onn went to the cargo area. Once at the rear of the ship, J'onn had the cargo bay doors open. A strong wind came rushing in, not bothering the Martian League member as he had it phase through him.

With his eyes glowing brightly, J'onn tried to get a bead on the soldier's minds for a quick mental attack but they had their mental blocks in place. There was something else too. They were not in control of themselves. They could fight and communicate, but it was obvious Ma'alefa'ak was controlling them as his mental presence lingered. It was not completely mental as it was the same feeling J'onn felt when his body was hijacked when Ma'alefa'ak plugged into his nervous system.

Reaching out, J'onn used his telekinesis to grab hold of their weapons. Prying them out of their hands, the League member smashed them on the rocks below just as the two boarded the craft. It was a fast paced fist fight as the two soldiers squared off against the lone and injured Martian Manhunter.

Up front, Conner felt the lack of fire from the two soldiers when he received a mental message from J'onn about being boarded. Setting the ship on auto pilot, Conner had the chair's straps recede and headed to backup J'onn when he saw another Bioship rise in the distance.

(-)

Aboard the new ship, Ma'alefa'ak and two other soldiers occupied the cockpit. This one was smaller than the one M'gann owned but it had its purpose. Unlike the one it was targeting, this ship was meant for Mars' military. As such, it was outfitted with a more powerful array of weapons and was now hovering before the incoming ship in its sights.

"Target is locked, Lord Ma'alefa'ak," one of the soldiers informed.

"Give J'onn my hospitalities," Ma'alefa'ak hissed.

(-)

Leaping back in the pilot's chair, Conner sought to take the craft off of auto pilot when he saw the ship in front of him power up multiple cannons.

(-)

Emerging from the hidden prison, Cy'an and the once unconscious handmaids brought M'gann out with them. Witnessing the military ship rise to face something in the distance, the group searched the area until they saw another Bioship appear out of camouflage mode.

Recognizing her ship, M'gann snapped out of the haze she was in. Without the use of her Martian abilities, she had no way of knowing who was in the craft as it streaked forward. Hearing a steady hum of weapons powering up, she faced the military ship and saw the weapons come to life.

(-)

Fighting off the two soldiers, J'onn managed to knock one out of the cargo area when the other attacked him from behind. A quick jab to his injured side made the League member fall, giving the soldier the advantage to wrap his arms around J'onn's neck.

Pulling back, the soldier cut off J'onn's oxygen supply momentarily when he was grabbed from behind. Using his shape shifting ability, J'onn had another pair of arms form to pull his attacker off while breaking the grip around his neck. Shifting his body to reverse is front and backside; he then delivered a kick to keep the soldier off balance when the first one slammed his fist into the back of J'onn's head. Outnumbered and injured, the League member formed a barrier around himself to keep both soldiers back when one of them was thrown off balance.

"Uncle J'onn!" Using his telekinesis, Carter emerged from the Bioship's wall where he had formed a better place for him to hide. Backing up, the child was approached by the soldier he mentally struck as he drew a combat knife with a heated blade.

"Carter, get down!" Whipping an arm out, J'onn wrapped elongated fingers around the soldier's neck and drug him back. As for the one behind him, he was dealt with when the first soldier was thrown into him. Both went flying out of the ship.

"Carter," J'onn grunted, "what are you-"

(-)

Up front in the cockpit, Conner took the ship off autopilot just before several green energy beams from the military Bioship fired. Jutting the ship to the side, he just managed to avoid a head on collision with the beams, unknowingly tossing J'onn and his son around in the cargo area. Another set of beams fired, this time skimming the bottom of the ship as Conner had it roll to the other side.

More and more energy beans were fired with the ship showing Conner five points of energy projectors on the enemy craft powering up and shooting one by one on rapid succession. Firing back, Conner was shocked to see the dual energy bursts from the Bioship be shot down before they could reach their target. No matter how fast he fired, all were shot down with none getting so much as fifty yards from their target. Then he felt the familiar touch of his son's mind within his own causing his eyes to widen.

(-)

Being forced to watch as the military ship fired upon hers, M'gann tried to get free but was held back by the three handmaidens.

"Watch closely," Cy'an told her. "Your rescuer will soon fall to the God of Mars."

"No," M'gann whispered.

More and more energy projectiles flew through the air, some barely missing her Bioship while others skimmed its sides. She knew the living craft was in pain as each beam was basically a heated bolt of energy. Even glancing hits would cause her to experience great pain with a direct blow being enough to knock and keep her down for an untold amount of time, if she were not destroyed that is.

Seeing another beam streak across the top of her craft, M'gann tried to free herself again. This time she was able to create distance to fight back, knocking two of the females down and drawing Cy'an's attention.

Extending her arm, Cy'an mentally held M'gann and lifted her into the air. With her arms and legs outstretched, the captured Martian felt herself grow stiff with her captor smirking as she stepped closer.

"Before Ma'alefa'ak destroys your rescuer, would you like to know who it is?" Cy'an asked.

"Stop it," M'gann spat as she struggled.

Inhaling, Cy'an closed her eyes and tilted her head back. "I sense, I sense a Martian, J'onn. His mental signature is familiar as I have known him from his visits to my love's holding cell."

"Stop this now or I swear-"

"I also sense an Earthling. Powerful. The one from your memories who holds your heart."

"Conner," M'gann whispered.

Twitching, Cy'an slightly turned her head to the side with her brows furrowed. "And something, someone, not all Martian nor human. A young one. A-"

"Carter!" M'gann shouted. "Stop it! Stop shooting at them!"

"Too late." On Cy'an's words and wicked grin, a group of rapid fire energy beams launched from the military ship. It was impossible to avoid them all.

In an attempt to avoid the incoming volley of fire, the Bioship was struck on the right wing. Smoke followed fire as it went into a spiral when it was hit again. Falling to the ground, M'gann saw her ship crash into the rocky terrain, skidding along the Martian surface until it flipped and was struck with another volley of energy beams.

Screaming at the top of her lungs, M'gann got to her feet and saw her ship engulfed in smoke and flame. Had it not have been for the collar cancelling her powers, she would have felt the pain the craft was in from their link, felt her uncle attempt to rescue her, felt her husband strive to get to her, and felt her son-

Letting out a roar, a combination of her human and Martian voice, M'gann attacked Cy'an with tears in her eyes. Tackling the female to the ground, she wrapped her hands around her throat and slammed Cy'an's head against a boulder.

"That was my Son! My only son!" Yelling, M'gann lost all control and saw red as she attacked Cy'an in an effort to avenge her family. Her attack was only temporary as she was thrown back and struck another boulder, knocking her out.

Regaining her breath back, Cy'an sat up with Ma'alefa'ak's voice in her head. Looking at the military ship, she saw him in the window and gave a nod before she stood.

"Slaves," she told the handmaidens. "Take the woman to Ma'alefa'ak's mountain hideout. I will go to check on the fallen."

Looking at the groaning M'gann, Cy'an sneered. "And make sure nothing happens to her. She will be punished by my hand alone for touching me."

 **AN: And just like that, Carter is like Carl from The Walking Dead, he just does not stay in the house.**


	11. Chapter 10

10.

Resting on the red, rocky soil of Mars, M'gann's Bioship gave off a white smoke as it lay at an angle upside down. Behind the ship some hundred yards out was a deep trench where it crashed and slid along the ground until colliding with a slanted boulder buried halfway in the dirt. Marks from where it was struck with the heated energy blasts and soldier's spears were blistering over in an effort to heal as the fire slowly came to an end, mostly in part to the wave of sandish dirt flying on it from the impact and the other from the living vessel taking care of herself.

Groaning, J'onn slowly crawled out from underneath a pile of dirt he was buried under. As the soil fell away, he clutched his side, wincing from the pain while getting to his feet.

"Carter?" the injured Martian asked. "Carter!"

Grunting as he stood from a hunched position, J'onn hurried back to the ship where he saw the boy exiting the cargo area. Looking disoriented, Carter took a few stumbling steps before looking up and spotting his uncle.

"Carter, are you okay? Are you injured?" J'onn asked. He looked over the child and saw no injuries.

"I'm okay. Just a little dizzy from the, the spins." He then bent over and threw up.

Going over his mind with his telepathy, J'onn saw he was right. His Kryptonian side must have protected him from any injury, save the nauseating feeling he received from the ship spinning as it fell through the air. Then there was his father's piloting to avoid being hit that made it worse.

"Just take it easy for a few minutes." Helping the boy to a nearby rock to sit on, J'onn headed to the ship to check on Conner when the Kryptonian made his way out.

Covered in red dirt, Conner brushed himself off and coughed several times. His eyes stung from when the windshield shattered upon impact and soil covered the inside of the cockpit. As he looked back at the crashed ship, he sighed angrily with their fastest way of traveling down for the time being.

"Great," Conner muttered when he felt a very familiar mental presence. "Carter?!"

"Uh oh." If there was a time Carter wished he had the ability to camouflage himself like his mother, this was really that time.

Seeing his father with an angry look on his face, Carter stood up and retreated behind J'onn as if the Martian's legs could ward off his father or hide him. Instead, his uncle gave a sigh and stepped to the side, shaking his head as he looked down at the boy.

"What are you doing here?" Conner demanded.

"Um," Carter answered as he tried to stay out of his father's grasp.

"Carter, get over here." Watching the child give up at his order, Conner stood with his hands on his hips. "Why didn't you mind me and stay at your grandparents house?"

"I, I wanted to help get mom," Carter answered quietly as if he were afraid to speak.

"I told you to stay at your grandma and grandpa's house for a reason," Conner growled. "This is too dangerous for you to be involved in."

"I just want mom."

"I know that!" Turning back to look at the ship, Conner gave a huff and shook his head. He then looked back over at J'onn. "How long before the ship repairs herself?"

"At least twenty-four hours until she is able to fly again. The damage she sustained is serious."

"So we fly."

"Dad." Carter said.

"Hold on," Conner told him. "Have any idea where Mal-whatshisname could be going?"

"Dad."

"None whatsoever," J'onn told him.

"Dad!"

"What, Carter?" Conner huffed. Trying to figure out their next move while attempting to discipline his son was trying his patience, especially when it involved his wife being at the mercy of an evil Martian.

Pointing off in the distance, Carter drew the attention of his father and uncle. Several soldiers under Ma'alefa'ak's control were flying towards their position. Stepping in front of the others, Conner squinted his eyes and switched to his infrared vision, giving him a clearer idea of how many there were.

"How many?" J'onn asked.

"I count five flying close together," Conner answered. "Maybe six. It's hard to tell with how close they're together."

"We need to know where M'gann is." Stepping beside his nephew-in-law, J'onn made sure his side was covered by his cape. His injury was bleeding again from both the fight and the crash and he did not want him to know he was hurting like he was.

"Can you read their minds?" Conner asked.

"If they are unconscious, it would be easier."

"Consider it done."

"This mean we're gonna fight, dad?" Carter asked hopefully.

"We're going to fight. You're going to hide." Grabbing his son by the back of his shirt, Conner lifted him up and carried him towards the ship.

"But I-"

"Not but's. I told you to stay at your grandparents and you disobeyed. That was stupid of you to do that, Carter."

"D, dad?"

Reaching the ship, Conner looked around the area before putting his son down. "Now do as I say and stay hidden until we get what we need." Making sure Carter was within the cargo area, Conner grabbed a large boulder and rolled it far enough to block any view of his son with only a small gap between the wall and rock. "Stay here. Stay hidden. Stay out of trouble."

Watching his father leave, Carter's lip quivered. He had never heard his father say anything like that to him. He then sat on the floor and hugged his knees close. "I'm not stupid."

Jogging back to where J'onn was, who had taken position within a crevice in the rocky surface, Conner slid next to him and watched as the incoming Martians came closer.

"Do you think you are being a little harsh with him?" J'onn asked once Conner was beside him.

"It's not like I spanked him, J'onn," Conner replied.

"No, but the way you spoke to him. He is just worried about M'gann, like we are."

"He should have listened to me and stayed with M'gann's parents. I'm trying to get M'gann back, thinking of a way to stop this Malific without dying, and now I have to worry about him." Conner gave a sigh. "I'm trying, J'onn. I'm trying to keep him safe and he refuses to listen and do as I say. You know as well as I do that he should not have been born, it should be impossible for him to exist. But now that he is, that M'gann and I actually conceived a son…I will not lose him. I will keep him safe and make sure nothing happens to him."

"As long as I have known you, Conner," J'onn said. "It has never failed to surprise me how much you have embraced fatherhood like you have and how much you care for my niece, the way she deserves to be cared for."

"I promised I would always be there for them. To protect our son. I swore it. M'gann wanted a family we thought we couldn't have, but now that we do," keeping low, Conner saw the group of soldiers land, "I will gladly give my life for them."

He was the first one out of the trench to fight the group.

(-)

Standing with shackles around her wrists and ankles, M'gann was surrounded by handmaidens with two Martian soldiers guarding a large hole carved into a slab of rock. The females around her carefully cleansed her body after she attacked Cy'an, making sure all traces of dirt was washed off and applied lotion to her skin for softness. Two, each with a hand of hers, made sure her knuckles were taken care of after the fight she put up. Others covered her in perfumes, giving her the scent of a Martian flower known for being an aphrodisiac. She was being pampered, her every need taken care of to look her best.

She hated it.

Wakening while being taken to the military Bioship, she played 'dead' and sought to find a way to escape. She remembered hearing Ma'alefa'ak speak about the way he had the maidens form her body to suit his tastes, making her feel sick as she could feel his eyes go over every inch of her. Unlike Conner, Ma'alefa'ak's ogling was disgusting at best. Conner loved her for who she was first, his attractiveness to her for her looks came shortly after, and she did of course enhance herself for him when they were intimate in their private moments together, it was all through the love they shared. Ma'alefa'ak was the complete opposite and made it clear as she overheard him proclaim her abilities would serve him once she was under his control with her body serving his needs as he reigned. It made her feel extremely cheap, dirty, objectified, and worthless.

"Now, let us shift your linen into what our master has chosen for you," one of the handmaidens said softly.

Rolling her eyes, M'gann sneered as she could only imagine what Ma'alefa'ak wanted her to wear. There were too many maidens to fight through, the guards were armed with their spears, facing out into the hall but able to respond at a moment's notice with a long way back to where she was telekinetically carried in from. She just had to bide her time. How much she had was unknown though.

Placing her hands on the white dress M'gann wore, the handmaiden concentrated on changing its appearance. Shrinking, the dress took on a skimpier appearance. Forming something resembling a red thong bikini, M'gann felt even more objectified as it was obviously meant to show off her new voluptuous shape. A golden metal wrap formed around her waist, showing off her hips as it formed a long blue loincloth reaching to the floor in front and back. A Martian design decorated the front of the metal piece signifying she was a claimed woman with Ma'alefa'ak's 'Y' shaped crest on the plate. The bra piece formed golden metal designs over the red material used for royalty, symbols that had not been seen since before she was born as there was no Martian king and queen or had been for a few hundred years. Her new outfit did not stop there as gold bangles formed on her wrists with a white sheer material stretching from their sides to her back where it attached to her inhibiter collar to form an inverted 'Y' shaped cape for her. Gold bangles were added to her biceps with another one forming a garter on her right thigh.

"There now, just as our master requested. Ornaments to peak his interests before he claims you as his queen." As one, the handmaidens looked M'gann over, each expressing their approval of their work.

"Disgusting," M'gann muttered as she turned her head. She only wanted her husband to see her in such an outfit, for him to look at her the way she was sure Ma'alefa'ak would.

"Now, we just need to remove the ring from her former mate and she will be ready for our master."

Clutching her left hand to her chest, M'gann glared at each of the handmaidens. "You can try, but you will fail. I won't hold back."

"Neither will I, M'gann."

With several gasps, the handmaidens turned and quickly knelt down on a knee as Ma'alefa'ak entered the room. Like she anticipated, M'gann was right in the way he looked her over, licking his teeth as if she were a meal for him. She never felt more disgusted and angry as she had in that moment.

"Neither will I."

(-)

"This is stupid." Hiding behind a boulder, Conner and his son watched as J'onn shifted himself to resemble one of the soldiers they had fought.

The battle was over quickly as both heroes got the drop on the soldiers, taking them out with one left over. Like his Martian uncle-in-law stated, it was easy to read his mind and they soon had the information they needed to get to M'gann as well as other information they desperately needed to pull a rescue off.

Keeping out of sight, Conner kept his eye on J'onn as he headed for the front entrance of Ma'alefa'ak's mountain hideout. The plan had been simple, J'onn would disguise himself as a soldier, gain admittance, and grant Conner inside as Carter hid outside the mountain until they got M'gann out.

"Why is it stupid?" Carter asked in a voice that seemed far away.

"It just is. He should have phased us in and we go from there."

"That sounds stupid."

Turning to his son, Carter raised an eyebrow. "What?"

The boy did not say a word. He only held his head down.

"What's wrong?" Conner asked. When his son did not respond, he asked again and received one heck of an answer as Carter began crying. "Whoa, hey, what's wrong?" he said as he got down to a knee. "Carter?"

"You said I was stupid," Carter cried. "Why am I stupid?"

"What?"

"You said I was stupid."

"I never said you were stupid-"

"Yes you did," the boy angrily said. "You called me stupid because I want mommy."

Sighing, Conner moved so he was in front of his son. "Carter, I never called you stupid. I called what you did stupid. I told you to stay where you would be safe and you didn't listen."

"I just want mommy back."

"I know." Taking his son in his arms, Conner stroked his hair. "I'm sorry if I wasn't clear. I need to keep you safe. That's why I told you to stay at your grandparents' house. When I said what you did was stupid was about you making the wrong choice and putting yourself in danger. We don't know all of your powers yet and don't want you getting hurt. I'm sorry. I just don't want you hurt."

Hugging his father, Carter held on tight for a few moments when they heard gravel being disturbed. Looking up, the adult Kryptonian saw J'onn.

"There were two guards," the Martian League member told him. "We are clear to go in. M'gann is on the third floor being prepared."

"Prepared for what?" Conner asked.

"To become Ma'alefa'ak's wife and queen of Mars. He wants her powers for himself and seeks to mind wipe her to be obedient to only him. I have gained more information from the guards I came across, Conner. We must hurry."

Looking down at Carter, Conner sighed heavily. All these years of hearing what others said about him came back to him with how his son refused to stay put. He was just as hardheaded as he was. The familiarity had him form a small grin. "Let's go get your mother, son."

"Y, you're letting me go with you?" Carter asked.

"If I know where you are, I don't have to worry about you. Stay close to J'onn and he'll keep you camouflaged. If there's a fight, get away and we'll take care of it. Mind me this time."

"Okay," Carter said excitedly. "I promise." He then changed his outfit, molding his Biosuit to resemble what his father was wearing with a shield on his chest. Inside the red shield was a red 'X' like his mother wore. "I'm like you, daddy. A hero."

Grinning, Conner nodded. "Let's go SuperMartian."

J'onn could not help but pick up on the pride Conner felt and the excitedness of Carter as they made their way into the mountain to rescue M'gann.

As the group headed off, the near invisible shape of Cy'an came into view. Sneering, the Martian woman clutched her fists. J'onn had to be lying. Ma'alefa'ak promised to bestow M'gann's powers to her and make her his queen. He had told her so over the years she had been tending to him in his prison cell. For anyone to think differently was blasphemous and would suffer a painful death. She could have killed the three while they dealt with the soldiers, but an idea formed in her head. Maybe she could test the dark headed Earthling and her love, Ma'alefa'ak. She just needed to take care of J'onn and the kid first.


	12. Chapter 11

11.

High within the mountain where Ma'alefa'ak had set his hidden base in, the escaped Martian made his way down a corridor within a group of soldiers guarding M'gann with several handmaidens around her. Two armed Martian soldiers carrying spears led the way through brightly lit halls. Carved windows in the stone let in the light from outside with a view of the Martian surface that would have taken M'gann's breath away if she were not a prisoner at the moment.

Behind the front two soldiers were two handmaidens carrying baskets full of rare Martian flower petals. Each one was purple and glistened with flakes of gold, shimmering when the light hit them just right. They were a symbol of royalty and matrimony for the ruling party long since ended on Mars. It was Ma'alefa'ak's orders they be used as he was sure he would be a God King soon enough.

Between the handmaidens and two more soldiers were Ma'alefa'ak and M'gann, he with his head held high and she with her head downcast. Immediately behind her was another handmaiden holding her cape to keep it from touching the floor while the last of the soldiers kept pace behind them.

As she was forced to walk with the monstrous Martian, M'gann reflected on what he had told her, about what he had planned for Mars and for her.

\- Several minutes ago –

Standing in the center of the chamber where the handmaidens had cleansed and dressed her, M'gann felt a combination of anger and vulnerability as Ma'alefa'ak slowly walked around and inspected her. A perverse grin was on his lipless face as her shape was what he wanted her to look like with the revealing outfit to add to it. If she only had her abilities restored instead of being canceled by the collar she wore, she would have put him down and make him pay for his actions. But she was in no position to do anything as she had none of her Martian abilities, giving Ma'alefa'ak the upper hand and all the power he could want over her.

"Simply beautiful. For a White Martian." Ma'alefa'ak said once he stood back before her. "I have heard stories of you. Stories from my puppet on your life held within the Martian records. Is it true you showed no sign of fatigue after mind blasting a playground full of your peers as a child?"

M'gann stood with her eyes turned to the ground, not wanting to look at him in the slightest.

"How about when you took down several Green Martians who sought to cause you harm for your colorless flesh without a thought?"

Still M'gann did not answer.

"This is all public knowledge, of course. But what I have learned from your uncle was most intriguing."

Watching his captive do nothing, Ma'alefa'ak grinned again then moved behind her. Taking a deep sniff, he inhaled her scent as he placed his hands on her shoulders. "I know all about you, my dear. The way you went about harnessing your powers. The way you used them. The way you…abused them, or so they lead you to believe."

Letting out a hiss, he continued. "Answer me something, my queen. Do insects abuse their ability to fly? Does the ground abuse its ability to grow crops? Do the stars abuse their ability to shine?" He then licked his lips. "Do beings abuse their ability to populate?"

Turning, M'gann landed a hard hook into Ma'alefa'ak jaw, forcing him back.

Advancing, the soldiers guarding the door rose their spears, only to be told to stand down by a gesture from Ma'alefa'ak. "You have fight in you. Against all odds, you still wish to challenge a being more powerful than you. Good. Very good."

Roughly grabbing M'gann by the collar, Ma'alefa'ak forced her close. "Do not try my patience, girl. While I may admire your abilities, I will not hesitate to make you a mindless drone like I have with the others."

Holding his hand up, Ma'alefa'ak morphed his fingers into their needle forms. "You can abide by my orders, or," jamming them into the nearest handmaiden, Ma'alefa'ak made her stiffen and bow down to him, kissing his feet once she were on her knees, "I can make you do as I wish. And that includes," he then snaked his tongue along M'gann's neck and cheek.

Shoving him away, M'gann had a shocked look on her face.

"Consider it an honor of being my queen."

"Lay one hand on me and I'll snap it off," M'gann darkly threatened.

"And just how will you go about doing that?" Ma'alefa'ak scoffed. "Your strength is that of a lowly Earthling. You are as helpless as a newborn child, an empty threat at best."

"Would you care to see how helpless I actually am?"

Smirking, Ma'alefa'ak had his eyes flash. "I know what you ae capable of. Your uncle was…considerate enough to inform me on what you have been trained in. But more importantly, I know what your true abilities are. And they are wonderful."

Backing up, M'gann put some distance between her and her captor. "You mean you read his mind."

"Read is too soft of a word, invaded his mind more accurate. You are truly a unique Martian, M'gann. None in our history have come close to what all you possess. Your power, your raw power is beautiful and for you to not unleash its full potential is a waste. Such beauty must be seen and that, that makes you desirable, the epitome of beauty that no one will appreciate, desire, or crave like I will. "

Holding her hand up, M'gann showed him her wedding ring and with it, the image of Conner holding her from behind formed.

"Ah, the Earthling. How trove. It is disgusting you would choose and lay with an Earthling and worse, create an abomination with it."

"That abomination you refer to is my son," M'gann sneered. "And that Earthling is my husband. You want to tell me about beauty? Desire? Appreciation? I know them all first hand. You want me for my power, Conner wants me for me. Our son is proof of that. And the moment I get this collar off me, the moment I get my powers back, I will show you what I'm fully capable of and you will pay for-"

Forcing her hard into the wall, Ma'alefa'ak held her in place with his telekinesis. "Do not make idol threats against one who is in control of you! The Earthling is dead! The abomination is dead! You have the opportunity to be a queen, to rule Mars and have everything you want and instead you would choose to throw it away like it were nothing?"

Stepping closer, Ma'alefa'ak came close to her face. "You have no idea of what you would be turning your back on should you refuse me."

"What's there to refuse?" M'gann grunted. "I've noticed you have not flown. You use others to phase you through objects. And the way you stab your fingers into another Martian, I'm willing to wager there are things you can't do."

Ma'alefa'ak sneered at her remark.

"You can't do those things, can you? For someone who refers to himself as a God, or even a Martian, you can't do any of those, can you? My powers may be cancelled temporarily, but it seems yours are extremely limited permanently."

Lowering her to the ground, Ma'alefa'ak Grabbed M'gann by the jaw, forcing her to look into his eyes. "You have no idea what I am capable of, what I have sacrificed. I may not possess all of my previous abilities, but I alone possess something that puts me on an entirely new level, one that makes me Mars' rightful ruler and by extent, a God to its people." He then grinned evilly. "Care for a demonstration?"

Dropping M'gann to the ground, Ma'alefa'ak ordered a guard to come to him. "Do you know what it is like to force yourself into someone's mind and do as you wish? Of course you do, your uncle has shown me. But this, this is something I have perfected, that I am the only one who has ever mastered and will ever control. H'ronmeer's Curse."

With her eyes growing wide, M'gann witnessed what she had only heard stories of. As a child, H'ronmeer's Curse was told to her as a warning of what happens when a Martian child misuses their gifts. Should that child be caught, H'ronmeer would come to claim their minds, making them burn for the misuse of their abilities. That was the story she was told and with age came the realization something like that could never happen and it was all a fairy tale. At least it that was what she believed.

Seeing how the Martian guard suffered, how he screamed for mercy when the hold Ma'alefa'ak had on him broke, was a nightmare for her. She had never in her life thought a being, any being could make such a painful sound. To say it frightened her was putting it light as it scared her to the bone.

\- Now –

Marching through the hall, Ma'alefa'ak and his group headed for an open balcony facing the other side of the mountain. The closer they got, the more guards there appeared to be. As they passed, each soldier snapped to attention with their weapons at the ready. Holding M'gann's hand close to his chest, Ma'alefa'ak acted as if he were already ruler of the planet. Every step was taken with an air of superiority as he went to enact the next part of what he had planned.

Forming his fingers into their needle form, Ma'alefa'ak and M'gann moved past the front handmaidens and guards, arriving on the balcony with a view of Earth far off in the distance. Placing his hand on her shoulder, the would be God King came uncomfortably close to her. "If you wish for this to not hurt as much, focus on all you are leaving behind. Resist and you will suffer the same fate as that insect back there."

Letting out a breath, M'gann lifted her head and looked upon the small blue planet suspended far off in space. Seeing the way the handmaidens and soldiers mindlessly did as Ma'alefa'ak ordered and the alternative presented to her, a painful, dragged out death, the choice was simple. She had none. She had no idea how he was controlling those around him, no idea how many he had on his side, but all had no willpower against him, puppets attached to their master by invisible strings that could not be cut.

Closing her eyes, M'gann inhaled deeply, thinking of her husband, son, and uncle in her crashed Bioship. If J'onn survived the flames and impact, he would be undoubtedly injured if he failed to density shift in time. Conner would have survived, but without a suit to aid him in breathing, he would not last long being this far away from a terraformed section of mars. And Carter, he could have survived, but there was no telling if he could survive like she could on the red planet. Still, there was no proof they had perished, only the words of an escaped criminal with delusions of Godhood. And that meant…

"Hold still, my queen," Ma'alefa'ak whispered, "your powers will soon be mine, and soon your body as well."

Feeling Ma'alefa'ak's hand move from her shoulder to the base of her neck, she felt him stretch her skin slightly to insert his needle-like fingers to connect to her spinal cord. It was cruel what he was doing, making her last free memory be that of the planet she so loved, where her friends were, and where she had spent the happiest days of her life with Conner on.

She would have to be just as cruel back.

Feeling the tips of the needles at her skin, M'gann spun around, grabbing his long fingers in one hand and slamming an elbow into Ma'alefa'ak's jaw. She had to act fast, knowing a group of soldiers would come to his aid and how he was in control of at least part of his telekinesis, M'gann quickly got in as many shots as she could.

Keeping him off balance, she hoped to move fast enough to keep him from concentrating enough to use his abilities on her. Staying close, M'gann landed a few open palm strikes to the underside of his jaw, an elbow to his shoulder, knee to the torso, and another elbow to the back of his head before flipping him over her shoulder and wound up to deliver a knockout blow to the temple when a soldier's spear came close to slicing into her neck, stopping the attack.

Spitting a glob of purple blood onto the floor, Ma'alefa'ak quickly got to a knee. "You will pay for that you-"

"GRAGH!" Coming from seemingly out of nowhere, Conner collided with the soldier and Ma'alefa'ak, taking them both off the balcony and down the side of the mountain.

Shocked to see her husband, M'gann got to her feet just as another soldier attacked. She was ready to fight back when he was tossed to the side by an invisible force while another one was slammed into the balcony's broken railing, knocking them both out. Appearing with his back to her, J'onn went after the last of the guards when she heard the voice of her son.

"Mommy!" Running up to her, Carter was just about to leap into her arms when he stopped a few feet shy of her with a surprised look on his face. "Mom?!"

Looking herself over, M'gann remembered the more buxom shape she had.

"Mom, you're so…big."

"M'gann," J'onn said once he was finished with the soldiers. "Carter, we told you to…" The Martian looked over his niece with the same look as her son. "M'gann?"

Ignoring the obvious question, M'gann brought her son into a tight hug, enjoying how he wrapped his arms around her neck. "Oh my son!"

Below them, the three felt the mountain itself shake from an unbelievable force impacting it.


	13. Chapter 12

12.

The moment he saw the Martian criminal put his hands on his wife, Conner lost it. He did not know what Ma'alefa'ak was doing with a needle-like appendage at M'gann's neck, but it was enough to send him over the edge. Not hearing what J'onn was telling him, deaf to his son's words, and ignoring the female known as Cy'an explaining something to him, Conner charged forward, flying through the air and tackled Ma'alefa'ak and the guard threatening to harm M'gann off the balcony.

Rolling down the mountainside, the three kicked up dirt and rocks as they toppled end over end. Hitting a boulder sticking out of the mountain, Conner went flying and landed hard, destroying another large rock into pieces. The soldier he knocked off slid on his backside for a time before going airborne, crashing down on loose gravel and spinning on his back to slide down head first. Ma'alefa'ak got it worse as he collided face first into a boulder and flipped over his left arm after getting it caught in the ground. The result was an audible crack from the bone breaking as he continued to tumble down the mountain.

-Earlier-

Making their way through the entrance of the mountain Ma'alefa'ak used as a hideout, J'onn, Conner, and Carter kept their eyes open for any of Ma'alefa'ak's followers. The first two floors of hallways were empty, strange as it was; it was welcome as the trek to locate M'gann was made easier for it.

"Any idea how far this place goes on for?" Conner asked as he kept point and made sure his son was holding onto J'onn's cape to become near invisible.

"Five floors from what I saw in the guard's mind," J'onn answered. "M'gann should be on the fourth floor. He wants her presented in a way-"

"Stop, don't want to hear it," Conner growled. "Let's just get to her. Malifick's mine."

"Stop them!"

Coming down a set of stairs from the third floor, a group of soldiers charged their spears and began firing at the three. Getting to the side of the hall and pressing his body as close as he could against the wall, J'onn pushed Carter into a room, keeping him from harm as Conner pushed forward, roaring a he took several hits from the energy weapons.

As the angered Kryptonian took the majority of the guards out, J'onn watched his back, taking several out who managed to remain conscious. The initial skirmish was over quickly with nine soldiers laying on the ground.

"Wow." Peeking out from the room he was in with wide eyes, Carter saw his father standing in the middle of the fallen Martians and came into the hallway.

Watching his father advance further up, he stayed with J'onn as the Martian elder read the minds for any new details as to what was happening when M'gann's voice came from up the stairs.

The three looked towards the set of stone steps when her voice called for Conner again. Immediately, the Krypto-human raced up the passage in the hopes of getting to his wife and making sure she was safe.

"Conner. Conner!" J'onn called.

"Mom!" Carter cried as they both chased after Conner as another group of soldiers rushed out of a room.

"There," the lead soldier shouted. "On our master's command, stop them!"

"Stay behind me, Carter!" With his nephew behind him, J'onn attacked the incoming Martians, making quick work of them all.

(-)

Reaching the next floor with a single leap, Conner yelled his wife's name, breaking down doors until finally finding her. Hurrying to her side, as she was chained to the wall, he ripped the chains free from their mounts and snapped the cuffs off her wrists. The two instantly embraced, holding each other tight.

"What happened to you," Conner asked. "Are you alright? What did he do to you?"

"I'm fine, Conner. I'm fine," M'gann reassured him. "He just left me here with a power dampener collar on. Said he was going to transfer my abilities to another Martian."

"Where is he?" Conner demanded.

"I don't know. Let's just go while we can."

"Just let me take this off first." Reaching for the collar, Conner was surprised when she jerked back.

"No, you can't." Keeping a hand over where the collar connected, M'gann shook her head. "He said there's a failsafe on it, that it'll blow up if removed. I can't use my powers."

"Then we have to find him."

"No. He's too strong. He'll kill you."

"Maybe J'onn could phase it off."

"He can't," M'gann said with a sniffle. "Only Ma'alefa'ak can unlock it. He won't let me go."

"I'll find him and I'll make him let you go."

"But-"

"I'll make him let you go." Holding her hands, Conner stared directly into her eyes. "Whatever it takes, I will get you out of here and home where you belong. I'm not leaving you, M'gann. I'm never going to."

With her mouth slowly opening, M'gann saw a look she never had before. Her eyes began to match his as she stared into them as if she were falling and he would be right there to catch her, always. "You would do anything for me."

"You know I would."

"And I you. My love."

"'My love'?" Conner repeated. "Since when did you start calling me your-"

"Conner, get away from her!" Extending his hand, J'onn telekinetically shoved the two apart.

Landing on her feet on the wall, M'gann leapt off, morphing her hand into a set of claws and struck back at the League member. Missing, she went for a mental attack when she was grabbed from behind by Conner.

"That's not M'gann!" J'onn shouted.

"Who are you?!" Conner demanded.

"The future queen of Mars!" Head-butting the Kryptonian only caused her to hurt herself, leaving her with the only option of phasing through his arms. Once free, the phony M'gann lifted Conner into the air and slammed him down with enough force to drive him through to the floor below.

"This ends now!" Launching a powerful mind blast, J'onn brought M'gann to her knees, forcing her to change back into her true Green Martian form.

"Cy'an," J'onn said a moment before the floor exploded and she was drug below. "Conner, no!"

Flying to where Conner was, J'onn arrived to see him pinning Cy'an down by the neck with his fist cocked back.

"Where is she!" Conner shouted, spit flying from his mouth. "Where's M'gann!"

Grunting, Cy'an shifted into her humanoid form as J'onn landed beside her head. Looking up at him took most of the of the fight out of her as she saw his eyes glow a bright red and felt him nudging at her mental defenses.

"Where!" Conner shouted again.

"Dad?"

Looking up at the hole where she was pulled through, Cy'an saw the face of Carter staring down at them. Remembering what she saw in M'gann's mind, the emotions she felt, came back to her. This child was a splitting image of both parents, making Cy'an revisit a deeply rooted wish she had in the back of her mind.

"Who is she?" Conner asked J'onn.

"She is Cy'an," the Martian answered. "I caught glimpses of her in Ma'alefa'ak's mind when he was controlling me. She is his pawn."

"I am not his pawn," Cy'an grunted. "I will be his queen."

"What does he want with M'gann?" Conner demanded as he slightly tightened his grip.

"He, he intends to transfer her abilities to me. To make me his, his queen."

"That is impossible," J'onn told her. "Most likely he plans to mind wipe her and force her into being his slave to use her powers as he sees fit."

"No, he told me-"

"You are his pawn, Cy'an," J'onn told her. "I trusted you on interrogating the worst criminal Mars has ever known, the only Martian to have ever sought to commit genocide and you fell right into his hands."

"He loves me," she hissed.

"He is a deceiver. He loves power, not you. My niece possesses what he seeks for she is the most powerful mind I have ever come across. No other Martian possesses such raw abilities as she has."

"I, I don't believe you."

"Daddy?" Carter asked from above.

"Stay up there, Carter," Conner told him then looked at his uncle-in-law. "J'onn?"

Kneeling down, J'onn opened a mental connection with Cy'an. As their eyes glowed brightly, the female Martian shook her head. A moment later, she began to shed a few tears until their mental conversation ended. With every bit of the fight out of her, Conner slowly released his grip. She held her hands to her face and began to sob, rolling to her side as the two Earth heroes stood.

"What did you do?" Conner asked."

"I told and showed her the truth." Looking from the crying Martian to Conner, J'onn let out a sigh. "She indeed loved him. It is what Earthlings call the 'Bonnie and Clyde Syndrome'. She believed she could change him, be there for him and love him. Everything he told her was what she wanted to hear and he knew it. I simply showed her fragments of what I saw when he controlled me. I cannot help but feel sorry for her. She fell into his plans by accident."

"But why look like M'gann?" Conner asked. "Was she trying to trap us?"

"To test you. She wanted to see how you truly felt for M'gann. She felt your emotions when you thought it was her. Felt the love you two shared."

"He has never looked at me the way you look at her," Cy'an quietly said. "Caring, softness, I know he will never look at me that way now."

Stepping closer to her head, Conner stared down at her with a sneer. Despite J'onn feeling sorry for her, he did not in the least. To him, she was just another enemy to be beaten. "Where is she? Where is my wife?"

-Now-

Hitting the ground at the base of the mountain hard, Ma'alefa'ak let out something of a hissing roar from the pain in his arm. No sooner had he gotten to a kneeling position when the soldier holding his spear at M'gann's throat landed beside him along with a small avalanche of loosened rocks and dust. Keeping close to the mountain, Ma'alefa'ak went about fixing his arm with his shapeshifting ability when he heard a roar behind him.

Diving out of the way, Ma'alefa'ak was just able to avoid Conner's fists connecting with his head. As The Titan leader hit the base of the mountain from an overhead attack, a large dent formed in the rock. Conner had put all of his strength plus his TTK into the missed hit, a hit powerful enough to shake the mountain from the impact. With another avalanche triggering, Conner was quickly buried underneath a large pile of rubble.

"Simpleton." No sooner had Ma'alefa'ak finished the insult when Conner came bursting out of the rubble and flew straight at the Martian.

Ducking a right cross, Ma'alefa'ak shifted his other arm into a tentacle-like appendage with his hand still on the end and grabbed Conner by the leg. With his lengthened arm wrapped around the Kryptonian's ankle, he then threw him hard into the ground then lassoed the remainder of his arm around Conner's neck to cut off his breathing.

"I know about you, Kryptonian." Ma'alefa'ak Finished repairing his broken arm and changed it onto a hammer-like structure. "Even you need to breathe."

Winding up, the Martian delivered a hard blow to the thin covering around Conner's head. While not hitting the ageless man outright, it did send a vibration through the membrane from the impact.

Using his right leg as a pivot, Conner managed to get his right leg over Ma'alefa'ak's head and force him down. While not able to lock in an armbar as the Martian's arm was a tentacle, Conner was able to force him to release his grip as the heel of his boot came crashing down on his foe's exposed teeth.

Landing several kicks to Ma'alefa'ak's head, Conner was able to get free when the other Martian soldier attacked him with his spear. A swipe lead to the suit Conner wore suffering a gash in the back when he sought to roll out of the way. The sudden change in atmospheric pressures was minimal, proving his Kryptonian side was indeed compatible within the lack of atmosphere, just barely as he was having slight troubles breathing as if he were on the onset of an asthma attack.

Taking the opportunity, Ma'alefa'ak dove forward, clutching Conner's face with his free hand. Even with the thin membrane between them, he was able to connect with the Kryptonian's mind through near microscopic gaps in the suit and membrane.

"Suffer!" Sneering, Ma'alefa'ak attacked Conner's mind with a strong psychic attack.

With his body stiffening, Conner screamed loudly as his mind was assaulted. Although painful, he was barely able to kick Ma'alefa'ak off and roll onto his stomach to catch his breath. The mental blocks J'onn placed had barely held out but Conner still felt weak and crawled several feet away when he saw a glowing green rock in front of him.

"Weak, pathetic fool," Ma'alefa'ak growled. "Now, you will die slowly."

All around Conner, glowing green rocks grew from the ground, emerging to surround him. Their effect on him was instantaneous as his body became weaker and a pain shot throughout his nerves. He was surrounded by Kryptonite and at the mercy of the Martian and his subservient soldier.


	14. Chapter 13

**Just want to wish everyone a very happy Easter! If you don't celebrate for the religious meaning like I do, then may you find tons of eggs! Or eat rabbit stew, it's all good.**

13.

With Conner on the ground withering in pain, Ma'alefa'ak grinned evilly as he and the soldier advanced on him. Picking his spear up, the soldier charged the end with heated energy to easily slice through Conner's protective suit while his controller kept the man down.

"Filthy Earthling," Ma'alefa'ak sneered. "You dare challenge a God King and consider yourself on equal ground? Your mate is mine."

"No she's not!" Flying down the mountain, M'gann slammed her fists into Ma'alefa'ak's chest, knocking him off his feet while the soldier was attacked by J'onn.

"Uncle J'onn, help me get the Kryptonite away from Conner!" With the collar still on, M'gann grabbed every piece of green rock she could and hurled it away. While not being able to fly on her own, she had her uncle telekinetically carry her down to join the fight, a fight she wished she were better dressed for as the slave outfit covering her was useless for combat.

Managing to pry the soldier's spear away, J'onn used it to belt him across the face and sent him head first into a boulder where he did not get up from. Now wielding the weapon, J'onn fired a few shots at Ma'alefa'ak, keeping him at bay as he went over to aid his niece and nephew-in-law.

"There are too many to move by hand." Concentrating on moving the Kryptonite with his telekinesis, J'onn lost sight of Ma'alefa'ak as he and M'gann went about helping Conner.

Shifting into a snake hybrid of himself, Ma'alefa'ak slithered between several boulders to escape the projectiles. He stopped momentarily to check where the three were and gave a hiss before moving again. Seeing M'gann with her back to him, as with J'onn, the serpent-like Martian grinned as he advanced with his arms morphing into sharpened pikes. This was his chance to end J'onn's life.

Picking up speed, Ma'alefa'ak rose both hands over his head and was just about to kill J'onn when he was shoved from the side, crashing into a pile of loose rocks and letting out a pain-filled grunt. Standing where the serpent-like Martian was, Cy'an clinched her fists.

Morphing back, Ma'alefa'ak quickly got to his feet and saw the female Martian standing before him. "Cy'an?! What are you-"

"You lied to me!" Flying forward, Cy'an collided with her former lover, swiping at him with sharpened claws once he was tackled to the ground.

"You promised I would be your queen! I would have M'gann's powers!" Taking another swipe, Cy'an drew blood when she was grabbed by the neck from behind and pulled off.

"Wench!" Ma'alefa'ak yelled as he got to his feet, a tail tipped with a set of pincers absorbed into his body after yanking the female Martian off him. "You dare align yourself against me?!"

With a yell, Cy'an charged forward with the intent on taking all her frustrations out on him.

(-)

Up on the mountain on the edge of the balcony, Carter watched the battle happening far below. From his vantage point, he could see his father in some sort of pain as his mother and uncle threw rocks away from him. Curious as to why they were doing such a thing, he leaned out further and saw the serpent Ma'alefa'ak attacked by the woman who disguised herself as his mother. She too began fighting the, in his words, ugly Martian when J'onn joined her with the spear he held.

Wanting to get a better look and know why his father was hurting like he was, Carter leaned over a little more when the section of balcony he was on cracked and gave way. Shocked he was falling, Carter let out a shriek and attempted to grab onto anything to stop the sudden plunge but missed grabbing hold of the remaining part of the balcony's railing. Freefalling, the child could only brace himself for the eventual impact on the rocky terrain but did not feel any pain as he hit, bounced, and slid down the mountainside to the base. Despite being a little dizzy from the repeated tumbling, he was incredibly unharmed with only dirt covering him.

As Carter took a few stumbling steps toward his mother and father, he saw his Uncle get knocked back then quickly rush back over to the other two Martians as they fought viciously.

"Mom!" Carter cried as he got to her side.

"Carter?" M'gann asked. "Don't! Stay back! It's Kryptonite!"

Her order was too late as her son arrived at her side. "What are you doing?"

Looking her son over, M'gann saw there were no ill effects affecting him.

"Where's the Kryptonite?" Carter asked.

"What?"

"You're throwing away rocks from daddy."

"No, the green rocks, Carter. These." Picking up a piece of Kryptonite, M'gann showed her son. "We have to get rid of them."

"Mom, it's a rock. A red rock like the others you're throwing away."

Looking at the stone on her hand and at Conner, M'gann did not know what to think. She then looked over at Ma'alefa'ak as he fought her uncle and the woman once standing by his side.

Yards away from the family, Cy'an and Ma'alefa'ak continued their fight with neither stopping for more than a moment before reengaging the other. J'onn was off to the side, gripping his waist from being sliced into after the alien menace pried and attacked him with the heated spear.

"You are nothing but a pathetic fool." Stopping Cy'an from delivering a flying kick, Ma'alefa'ak slammed her into the ground. "Girlish dreams of a future with me could never happen as you were never worthy of being at my side."

Landing a hard shot to Cy'an's face, Ma'alefa'ak had his eyes glow bright red. "No one is worthy of Mars' God King. All are slaves beneath me!" He slammed his fist into her stomach. "Worms crawling in filth." Again, he struck her. "And now you will come to suffer like those who wish to stand against me."

With his eyes glowing brighter, Ma'alefa'ak tightened his grip on Cy'an's neck, slowly choking her as he opened his mind to her. It was not a mental attack on her mind, nor was it a probe into her more sensitive functions that control the body's automatic abilities like breathing or the heartbeat, it was something far worse, H'ronmeer's Curse. Struggling was useless as Cy'an's mind was infected with what Ma'alefa'ak had perfected. Painful was not the word to describe what she felt as it was far worse.

Getting to his feet, J'onn grunted in pain as he bled freely. Purple blood fell to the dry Martian soil from his side and abdomen when he heard Cy'an scream. Witnessing what she was going through made J'onn relive the death of his wife over again. In fact, it was not Cy'an's face he was seeing at the moment, it was his wife's.

(-)

"Conner? Conner, listen to me." Lightly slapping her husband's face, M'gann got him to focus on her. If it were not for the collar on her, she could get into his mind and help him see what Carter saw. "Conner, there is no Kryptonite. Conner!"

Convulsing, Conner's face had turned red and he was having difficulty breathing. He then began to foam at the mouth as his eyes rolled back.

"Conner!"

"Mom!" Carter cried.

Turning to her son, M'gann grabbed his shoulder. "Carter, sweetie? I need you to do something I haven't shown you before."

"W, what?" the boy asked as he cried over his father.

"I need you to link with him. Make him see what you see. I should have known from the feel of the rocks that they were not Kryptonite, they're not crystals."

"But, mom, I-"

"Your father needs you," M'gann stressed to her son. "I need you to concentrate and do as I tell you, okay?" Carter!"

"O, okay, mom."

"Good boy. Now, place your hands on his temples and-"

(-)

Standing over Cy'an as she withered in pain, Ma'alefa'ak grinned as he watched, completely absorbed in what he had done to her.

"Ma'alefa'ak!"

Turning at the sound of his name, Ma'alefa'ak saw J'onn attack him with the spear's end. Charged as it was, it easily skewered his stomach and sent an incredible heat through him. Gasping from the sudden hit, the criminal Martian looked at his former friend and partner with a shocked expression before falling to his knees.

"I, I should have ended this those eighty years ago," J'onn panted.

"Yes, you should have." Slowly, Ma'alefa'ak lifted his head and began to laugh darkly. Standing before J'onn, he healed himself, leaving a scar as his shape shifting ability went to work until it was fully healed. "You think Mars' God King could be harmed by mere heat like some common Martian maggot?"

Landing a swift yet powerful kick to J'onn's chest, Ma'alefa'ak cracked his neck and had his eyes glow brightly. "I sacrificed many of my natural abilities, flight, density shifting, a majority of my telekinesis and telepathy, empathy, and others that were child's play to what I have gained in return."

Slamming his foot on J'onn's chest, Ma'alefa'ak applied pressure to make the Manhunter suffer. "But H'ronmeer's Curse does allow me to cause illusions so real; no one can identify them from reality. But the one thing I so love about my new gift, is it makes me immune to the heat Martian scum cannot handle!"

Instantly, a ring of fire erupted around the two, burning everything it touched including the passed out soldier. He never knew what ended his life, only the pain from it that caused his to scream to the heavens.

"Burn, J'onn! Burn outside like you will burn inside!" With his eyes glowing brighter, Ma'alefa'ak opened his mind to infect J'onn with H'ronmeer's Curse, a curse that does not need full telepathy to work as he only needs to be in close proximity to unleash the deadly attack, that, and anyone attempting to get into his mind would be infected as well. It was a plague he was ready to spread to those on the red planet if they did not bow to him.

Grunting and screaming in pain, J'onn clinched his teeth so tight, hey began to crack. The immense heat he felt from the fire and the pain inflicted from H'ronmeer's Curse in his mind was too much for him. Flashes of his wife and daughter came back to him, the times they shared as a happy family, the times they spent watching the stars from their home, it all came back to him when the pain was instantly cut off.

Looking up, J'onn was still feeling his body and mind burn as he saw his niece fighting Ma'alefa'ak. Not able to hear what she shouted, he tried to move to his side but found he could not as he was extremely weak. As much as he wanted to come to M'gann's aid, he was helpless to do so. He then saw her pinned to a slanted boulder by the neck and Ma'alefa'ak forming his fingers into their needle shapes.

"Nnn…NO!" It was all he could do as Ma'alefa'ak wound up and brought his hand down on his defenseless niece when a chair sized rock collided with the would be God King's head.

Letting go of M'gann, Ma'alefa'ak stumbled for a moment then looked to where the stone was thrown from. Seeing Carter standing with an angry look about him, Ma'alefa'ak gave a sneer and morphed into a scale covered Martian beast similar to a rhinoceros found on Earth but with five horns on its head.

Taking off running as fast as he could, Carter ducked into a crevice provided by two joining boulders. He narrowly escaped being run down as Ma'alefa'ak slammed into the stones providing the child with protection. With his hands over his head and sitting, Carter felt the initial impact with loosened rocks and dirt fell on him then felt his pursuer grab the back of his collar where he was lifted off the ground and slammed onto the loose gavel at Ma'alefa'ak's feet.

"Just what are you, boy?!" Stomping on Carter, Ma'alefa'ak used his enhanced strength to actually hurt the child. Alone, a Martian was not capable of harming a Kryptonian, but with the right mental application, they were almost on par with them. "You are not Martian, you are not Kryptonian, you are not even human! You are nothing but a disgusting hybrid abomination!"

Lying on his side, Carter clutched his midsection from being repeatedly stomped on. He let out a whimper with a few tears falling to the ground as he curled himself up.

"This, this is not right," Ma'alefa'ak said as he flashed his eyes again. "H'ronmeer's Curse, why does it not affect you?"

Holding him down with his foot, which had been morphed to become a three clawed appendage, Ma'alefa'ak morphed his fingers back to their needle forms. "If I cannot infect you with my gift mentally, then I will infect you directly."

Pressing the sharpened tips to the boy's temple, Ma'alefa'ak saw the skin give slightly but not break. Applying more pressure, he only caused Carter discomfort but could not forcibly enter his skull. Sensing it was his Kryptonian half that was at work, Ma'alefa'ak changed tactics and slipped the needles into the child's ear, causing Carter to squeal at the pain he was now feeling. As the needles slowly went deeper into Carter's head, passing the eardrum and other near microscopic bones, Ma'alefa'ak grinned as he was about to end the life of the abomination.

"Scream for me, little one," Ma'alefa'ak hissed. "Scream for m-"

Being slammed from the right, Ma'alefa'ak went flying and crashed next to Cy'an who was dying. With the world spinning around him, he was hit again and was now a few inches in the ground.

"Carter!" Conner yelled as he turned to check on his son and saw him still down but not hurting like the others.

"I'll kill you for that, Kryptonian!" Flashing his eyes, Ma'alefa'ak again caused the rocks around Conner to become Kryptonite.

Landing on his knee, Conner fought what his body was telling him. The illusion was so powerful that his mind believed he was being poisoned when he was not, something he learned was fake through the eyes of his son. Now it was his turn to suffer the curse J'onn and Cy'an were experiencing. As the battered Martian reached out to grip Conner's head, M'gann landed a hard knee to Ma'alefa'ak's temple, sending him several feet away to give her husband time to recover.

"You all will die!" Ma'alefa'ak Shouted as he had the ground turn to fire and temporarily forced M'gann to her knees.

Slowly getting up, M'gann fought what her mind was telling her when Conner held her back. The moment she looked at him, she heard him say, "I love you."

"Conner?"

He was gone. Flying ahead with both fists stretched before him and slammed into Ma'alefa'ak.

"Conner!" M'gann yelled but he was too far out of range to hear her.

M'gann!" J'onn yelled at his niece.

"Stay here, Uncle J'onn," M'gann told him. She then flew over to her son, taking him in her arms once she saw he was okay with Ma'alefa'ak failing to place his curse on him.

Hugging Carter tight, M'gann carried him back to her uncle when she felt her son move slightly and held his hand out. There in his palm was the key to her collar, causing her to smile. "Good boy."

(-)

With a death grip around Ma'alefa'ak's waist, Conner Flew as fast as he could away from the mountain. He could feel numerus strikes to his back as the Martian he carried tried to break his grip and a tentacle wrap around his neck. Not stopping, he held his breath and concentrated on what he sought to do.

With pieces of his suit being ripped off, Conner could feel the atmosphere start to get to him and affect his body more than when he was in Atlantis deep in Earth's ocean. Grabbing the tentacle around his neck allowed for a break in the lack of oxygen but not in the way his body reacted being exposed like it was.

Letting out a shriek, Ma'alefa'ak abandoned trying to choke Conner and instead went to ripping the suit clean off him when he felt a strange heat buildup around them. Looking over his shoulder, the Martian saw a large area of empty land surrounded by a half circle of mountains with a red barrier forming at the head of he and Conner.

"Simpleton!" Ma'alefa'ak shouted. "Heat does nothing to me! I am a go-"

"It's not heat, moron!" Increasing his speed, Conner made a beeline for the area in the middle of the cul-de-sac of mountains.

The combination of speed and his ability to effect the molecules around him to simulate heat vision resulted in a dome of fire surrounding them. It surprised Ma'alefa'ak as his cape began to burn and his skin started to singe. Panicking, he started to do whatever he could to break Conner's grip on him, slicing at his back, attempting to bust the thin membrane covering his head, morphing into different forms, nothing could break the Kryptonian's hold. Letting out an otherworldly shriek, Ma'alefa'ak felt the fire increase as they began to quickly descend.

That was when a large explosion rocked the area.

(-)

Kneeling beside J'onn, M'gann held his hand as Carter questioned what he could do. Seeing his uncle in so much pain had the boy scared and he could only watch as the proud, strong Martian began to fade.

"Uncle, please, just hang on," M'gann begged. "We can get you back to the city and-"

"No, M'gann," J'onn told her then grunted. "It is too late. Ma'alefa'ak placed H'ronmeer's Curse within my mind. There, there's nothing anyone can do. If anyone attempts to link with my mind, they too will be cursed. It is never ending and must, must end here." Grunting, his muscles contracted painfully, causing him to raise his chest off the ground.

"Uncle J'onn," M'gann cried.

"I have always loved you, M'gann. You are a daughter to me. It was my honor to teach you, watch you grow, and find the happiness you deserve." Word by word, J'onn's voice grew weaker.

"Uncle J'onn, please, just concentrate on-"

"Remember everything I have taught you, M'gann. And remember, I will always be with you in spirit."

As M'gann cried, J'onn turned his head to Carter. The boy too was crying, causing the fading Martian to reach out to him. "Carter, you have brought me so much joy. Like your mother, you have made me so proud to have you as part of my life. Stay strong and listen to your parents. You are so much stronger than you know. I love you."

Moving to hug his uncle, Carter broke down as he wrapped his arms around his neck. "I wuv you Uncle J'onn."

Looking back at his niece, J'onn swallowed a large lump in his throat. "Tell Conner there is something for him in the Bioship. It is beside the chair I was sitting in. Tell him, I loved him like a son. I…love…you all."

As the light in J'onn's eyes faded out, M'gann broke down completely. She hugged her fallen uncle, Crying into his neck when she felt her son place a hand on her. Taking him in her arms, the two hugged one another tightly and cried as Cy'an watched. Sortly after, a large explosion could be heard far off in the distance, prompting mother and son to gently lay J'onn on the ground and head off in the hopes they had not lost two family members that day.

"I, I wish I could have known th, that love." Cy'an whispered then passed away. Like J'onn, she was a victim of Ma'alefa'ak and H'ronmeer's Curse. As her eyes darkened, a tear rolled down her cheek and was absorbed into the ground.

(-)

Lying in the middle of a crater, a near naked Conner stared up into the sky. Beside him was Ma'alefa'ak, part of him that is. What Conner had created was an immense explosion of heat and fire large enough to create a hole some twenty feet in the ground. Having combined his TTK and stimulating the air particles around him was enough to create a concentrated bomb of sorts around him that would keep him relatively safe from his own powers. He was having difficulty breathing being this far from the closest terraformed city without any equipment to help him. It was so bad that he had to concentrate on each breath and was too tired to do anything else.

Coughing up purple blood, Ma'alefa'ak, now reduced to a torso with one leg, and arms ending at the elbows, tried to heal himself with his shape shifting ability but found he could not. The stumps were his limbs ended were cauterized and too damaged to heal without medical treatment but that was not the point as he would not make it regardless if he got the help he needed immediately.

Letting out another cough, the dying Martian growled as he looked over to Conner. "You, you ignorant worm." He let out another cough with more blood coming up. "You have denied Mars of its rightful ruler. Taken my future queen. You of all beings, of all-"

"Shut up and die already," Conner told him.

"Regicide. That is what you have done here today. Eighty years I have been locked away, eighty years of my life I will never get back and for what? For a worthless Manhunter and a clone to put an end to it all?"

Straining to get up, Conner was close to a sitting position when he fell on his back again. "Let, let me tell you something. You should have stayed in the prison you were in. You could have left the planet and gone somewhere, anywhere else. But the moment you came after J'onn, the moment you targeted my wife, the moment you threatened my son, you dug your own grave."

"Yes. You are right. I should have killed you the moment I saw you. All these years for nothing." Grunting, Ma'alefa'ak turned his head to the side. What he had planned would be quick. "I will not go back and be their prisoner. And you, you may have won, but without your suit, you will soon die. That, and have I taken someone close away from you. And that gives me some comfort."

As Conner tried to turn his head to look at Ma'alefa'ak, he heard an audible crack come from the Martian. There beside him was the lifeless corpse of the self-proclaimed God King of Mars, killed by his own hand.

Slowly, Conner rolled to his side, grunting from the movement until he was on all fours. What remained of his suit had fallen away as ash, leaving him with nothing on and straining to breathe. It had taken him some time to get to the rim of the crater even though he flew. He had over exerted himself and felt as if every part of his body was refusing to cooperate with him.

Landing at the rim of the crater, Conner let himself collapse onto the ground. Breathing hard, he felt as if his lungs were being squeezed with a weight on his chest to add to his troubles when he felt it, his wife and son's mental touch. Lifting his head, he saw M'gann with Carter floating by her side coming towards him. Answering her mental message, she left Carter a few feet from where he was and took her cape off as she had yet to morph out of the slave outfit she was in and gave it to him. With something to cover his nether regions, the family embraced, glad for everything to be over.


	15. Chapter 14

**AN: Thank you to everyone who read this story. I hope you all enjoyed it as much as I have writing it. Also, my new site is up with the link in my profile and goes along with my stories here and on fictionpress. It's still in it's early phase, but will be updated more and more as I go along. Feel free to leave me notes on what you may want to see on my site with a comment section there in the ABOUT ME section.**

14.

It had been several days since the ordeal with Ma'alefa'ak and the chaos he created for the planet Mars. Those under his and Cy'an's influence were isolated on orders from M'gann and Conner and looked over meticulously for any sign of H'ronmeer's Curse within their minds. It had taken some time with the technology Mars had to offer being heavily used, but all checked out to be clean. It was a relief to M'gann no one else would be a victim of that infernal curse or its perfector.

That was the first order of business and easiest.

When it came time for J'onn J'onn's funeral, a great deal of the Martian population showed up to pay their respects with the rest watching on devises similar to the televisions of Earth in public gatherings and was transmitted to Watchtower for his friends in the Justice League, black ops team, and Titans to see. It was a large procession with his family, friends, and the Manhunter corps honoring him as his glass casket was carried by four pallbearers. Martian etchings in the glass told the story of a heroic Manhunter seeking justice not only on the red planet, but other worlds as well.

As with Martian tradition when one of them is honored as a hero, J'onn's body was carried to a shrine dedicated for those like him. Lined with columns stretching to the sky, the mountain built resting place for the greatest of Martians was elaborately decorated with detailed carvings of the great deeds those resting inside have done with their names forever carved under their image. It was seen as a holy place and hardly any noise was made, save for those grieving over the fallen Martian.

Barely lit, the corridor they were in held other Martian heroes and heroines with some of the most beautiful flowers the planet had to offer. J'onn's was no different. With only a few allowed in, his closest family members were the last ones to see him off. His brothers and sisters bid him farewell one by one and mentally offered M'gann words of comfort before departing with mementoes left behind.

As the last ones left before J'onn's assigned grave was closed, M'gann, Conner, and Carter looked at the face of the fallen Justice League member one last time. He was dressed in his League uniform, different from the others as they were buried in more of a white ceremonial garb to signify their elite status given upon death.

With her hands on her son's shoulder's, M'gann tried to be strong for him as he wept. Going up to the glass case his uncle was in, Carter placed a picture of when he was born and J'onn holding him. Turning back around, he grabbed his mother's leg tight and openly cried.

Trying not to break down herself, M'gann lifted her son up and hugged him as he let it out. She then placed her hand on her uncle's casket, feeling the cold of the glass under her palm. She had placed a picture of when she was about to meet the team for the first time in the first uniform she had created for herself beside her son's. Both hugged each other as she took the selfie, bringing back memories of that day and the excitement she felt when he agreed to train her in the use of her abilities. Although she had heard it time and time again, she still hoped she made him proud of what she had done with her life.

With her now visibly crying, she turned and was met by her husband. Both mother and son fell into his arms as he stared at his fallen uncle-in-law. He too left him something. It was a picture of the two moments before he married M'gann when he was told he was like a son to the Martian. While he was not one to engage in physical displays of emotion, even he had a few tears falling down his face.

With their moment to mourn over, the three watched as the presider of the funeral finished sliding the casket into its housing then shut the metal door with his crest etched on it. The last object to be seen was a picture of J'onn with the small family and the members of the teams in Watchtower.

Another day passed as the three stayed with M'gann's family. Memories were shared, deeds were discussed, nothing but fond times were what anyone would talk about. But eventually it was time for the small family to journey home in the repaired Bioship.

(-)

Keeping the ship at a leisure pace, the three were in no hurry to arrive back on the green and blue planet. Batman wanted a report on what happened as soon as they could deliver one to him, irking he couple as the Dark Knight was always down to business as usual. The others of the League wanted to hold a remembrance for J'onn as well as add him to their memorial garden in the form of a holograph. It was just too much for the two heroes to bear again and needed some time away.

After touching down in the hanger of Titan Tower, they took a moment before opening the rear hatch and meeting those who were there. Turning in his seat, Conner looked over at his wife in the pilot's chair as she wiped her face. Carter was no different as he was still whimpering in his seat.

"I'll go first," Conner told M'gann. "I'll explain what happened and tell them to give you time."

"Thank you." Leaning her head back in her chair as her husband left his seat, M'gann sniffled then took a deep breath, letting it out slowly. "Conner?"

Stopping before he left the cockpit for the cargo area, Conner turned to face her.

"Before, before Uncle J'onn passed, he said he left you something in his seat." She looked over at him. "He wanted me to let you know."

Letting out a breath, Conner nodded. He left the doorway and headed to the chair J'onn occupied and searched the sides where he found a small packet. Holding it for a moment, he slipped it into his pocket and left his family to tell the others to give them time.

(-)

Later that night after everyone left for home and Carter had turned in, sleeping in the living room with Garfield, Raven, and Terra who attempted to lift his spirits some, Conner sat on the bed alone in his and M'gann's room with the lights turned down to a soft dim.

Looking the packet over, he saw his name written on the front and felt something inside. Opening it, two rings fell into the palm of his hand, J'onn and his wife's. He then saw something written in the paper and unfolded it carefully.

 _Conner, in the event I do not make it back, as I feel I will not, I want you to promise to always be there for your family. Protect them as I tried to protect mine. As I have told M'gann on several occasions, I do not see her as my niece but as my daughter, the same is true for you, you are my son and you both have made me so incredibly proud. Please take these rings, they were my wife and I's. I want them kept in the family and it is only proper for you both to have them. I love her, you, and Carter so much. Do not mourn for me as should I give my life for you all, I would have done so gladly. Remember, my love will be with you all always._

 _J'onn_

Feeling emotion take him over again, Conner ducked his head and ran a hand through his hair as he let out a long breath. His eyes were threatening to flood over, forcing him to find a way to hold them back when M'gann entered the room from the hallway.

"I checked on Carter," M'gann said. "He cried himself to sleep. I told him if he wants to he could sleep with us tonight."

Watching her husband remain quiet with a faraway look, she joined him at the bed and stood before him. "Conner? Did you hear me?"

"He knew," Conner whispered.

'What?"

"J'onn knew. He knew he may not make it back." Looking up at M'gann, Conner saw she was on the verge of crying again. He instantly stood and wrapped his arms around her as she began to cry.

"I want you to know, I will always protect you and Carter. I will always be here for you two. I should have acted faster. Should have known the Kryptonite was fake. It's my fault-"

"Shut up." M'gann whispered. "Just shut up, Conner. No one's to blame. If I could have, I would have done the same to save you and our son."

The two stood in silence for several moments taking comfort in each other. Opening his hand, Conner looked at the rings J'onn had given him and M'gann. They were a similar design as the ones he and his wife currently wore. He would tell and give her one later after they had a moment to let things pass.

"Mom? Dad?"

Slightly separating, the couple saw their son standing in the doorway with his blanket in his arms.

"Come on," M'gann said with an outstretched arm. As the boy went to them, both parents lifted him up and shared a hug.

It was not long until they were all in bed, Carter in the middle of the two. Tomorrow would be a new day, one where the three could find some time to recuperate after having a memorial in Watchtower for the Martian Manhunter of Mars, J'onn J'onzz and to inform everyone on his last heroic deed.

As the family slept, the moonlight shined upon them and reflected off not only their near invisible rings, but the one's J'onn gave them, casting an image of Conner, M'gann, Carter, and J'onn together in a large embrace. Though they did not see the image that night, they would eventually. They just needed time to become stronger together, to remember what the proud Martian did for them and how he saved their lives.

Only time could tell what was in store for the three but with whatever it might be, whatever life may throw at them, they were one and would only get stronger thanks to the hero, J'onn J'onzz.


End file.
